


Psychic Wars

by literal_fandom_trash



Series: Dakota Elizabeth Winchester [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Big Brother Dean, Big Brother Sam, Brother-Sister Relationships, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Sam's Twin, Season 2, Sister Winchester fic, Sister-freeform, Winchester Sister, Winchester Sister Fic, sister winchester
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-04
Updated: 2017-06-08
Packaged: 2018-09-14 15:31:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 31,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9189509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/literal_fandom_trash/pseuds/literal_fandom_trash
Summary: Sequel to Dakota Elizabeth Winchester





	1. In My Time of Dying

**Author's Note:**

> "Stranglehold" by Ted Nugent

A flash of light. The sound of metal scraping against metal. Pain, searing pain, consuming her and then an evil laugh. Dakota tried to open her eyes, but they felt too heavy and she started to panic. Her heart pounding, she heard the sound of machines beeping fast, and a huge pair of hands held her shoulders down as she tried to sit up. She finally cracked her eyelids open, but everything was fuzzy.

“Woah, easy Baby, easy.” A voice said.

“Daddy?” Dakota asked and she stopped struggling. She blinked a few times and her vision cleared up enough to show her father standing in front of her.

“Yeah Kota, it’s me. You need to stay still, we’re in the hospital. You just got out of surgery.” He explained.

“Surgery?” She asked groggily, looking at John’s arm in a sling.

“We got into a car crash. You already lost a lot of blood, but you broke three ribs and one of them punched your lung. Sweetheart, I’m so sorry for hurting you.” John apologized with tears in his eyes.

“It wasn’t your fault. Are you and the boys okay?” Dakota asked softly.

John was silent for a moment, “Sammy and I are fine, just a few bumps and bruises, but Dean...he’s in a coma right now. Brain swelling. But everything is going to be okay.” he assured her as the heart monitor attached to her started beeping faster with the news of her big brother. Sam walked into the room and smiled, “Hey glad to see you’re up.”

“Glad to see you’re okay.” She said, calming down a little once she saw that the worst injuries Sam had were cuts scattering his face.

“You look terrible.” He joked.

“You shouldn’t say that. We have the same face. We’re twins.” Dakota teased. She knew he hated when she said that.

“We’re fraternal twin.” Sam snapped back and Dakota laughed which quickly made her double over in pain.

“Okay. I think that’s enough excitement for your sister for right now.” John said standing up from where he had been sitting at the foot of the bed. “Sam, why don’t you sit with your sister for a bit while I check your brother.” 

Sam sat down where John had been a minute ago and they waited until he walked out of the room to talk.

“So, have you seen Dean?” Dakota asked and Sam nodded slowly, “Is it bad?” She asked and again Sam nodded. Dakota looked down at her hand and started pulling the tap holding her IV in off.

“What are you doing?” Sam asked.

“Getting out of this bed and seeing Dean.” She stated and the machines around her started beeping as she messed with them.

“What!? You just got a lung repaired! You have three broken ribs! Not to mention you lost too much blood!” Sam argued pushing her back down.

“I can’t just stay here.” Dakota yelled.

“You don’t really have a choice.” Sam snapped.

A man in a lab coat walked into the room, “Is everything okay in here?” He asked.

“No!” Dakota and Sam said at the same time.

“What seems to be the problem Ms. McGillicuddy?” He asked.

Dakota tried not to raise her eyebrows at the name, “I want to see my brother! How is he?” She pouted.

“He sustained serious injury, blood loss, contusions to his liver and kidney. There’s early signs of cerebral edema. We won’t know his full condition until he wakes up. _ If _ he wakes up. I have to be honest, people with his degree of injury wouldn’t have survived this long. He’s fighting very hard” The doctor explained and Dakota felt her eyes water and she looked down, “As for you, you broke several ribs and one punctured a lung. We had to perform surgery, but it’s fixed now. You lost a serious amount of blood from large gashes across your chest and abdomen. The one of your abdomen should heal fine, but the ones are your chest will scar, I’m sorry.” He said and Dakota shrugged. She was a hunter, scars were part of the job.

John walked back into the room which was now feeling very cramped, “I’ll come check on you later, adjust your pain medicine and give you some antibiotics for those cuts.” The doctor said before walking out.

“You in any pain now?” Her dad asked as he pulled up a chair next to the bed.

Dakota shook her head, “A little. The doctor told me about Dean. If the doctors won’t do anything, then we’ll have to.”

“I agree.” Sam said. “I’ll find some hoodoo priest to lay some mojo on him.”

“We’ll look for someone. But Sam, Kota...I’m not sure we’re gonna find anyone.” John said.

“Why not?” Dakota asked feeling how reluctant John was. She also felt another person’s emotions in the room, but no one was there.

“We found a faith healer before.” Sam pointed out reminding Dakota of the last time Dean had been dying.

“That was one in a million.” John argued.

“So what we just sit here with our thumbs up our ass?” Sam yelled.

“No, I said we’d look.” John corrected and Dakota wished she could walk out of the room. She looked over at the screen next to her and literally watched her blood pressure start to rise. “I’ll check under every stone...Where’s the Colt?”

“Seriously?” Dakota asked.

“Your son is dying and you’re worried about the Colt?” Sam asked in surprise.

“We’re hunting this demon and maybe it’s hunting us too. That gun maybe our only card.” John explained.

“It’s in the trunk.” Sam answered. “They dragged the car to a yard off I-83.” Dakota thought about how pissed Dean was going to be when he woke up.

“Alright. You gotta go clean out that trunk before some junk man sees what’s inside.” John ordered.

“I already called Bobby. He’s about an hour out. He’s gonna tow the Impala back to hi place.” Sam explained and Dakota looked over at the other side of the bed as she felt anger and sadness come from that spot.

“Kota?” John asked.

She turned back to them, “Sorry. Spaced out there for a minute.” She wondered if it was being in a hospital or getting whacked on the head that threw her psychic powers off.

Sam stood up to walk out of the room before turning back to them, “Hey Dad...he said he had plans for me and Kota and the children like us. You have any idea what he meant by that?” 

“No. I don’t.” John said and Dakota knew he was lying. She felt an uneasy feeling rise up in her.

……….

John left to go sit with Dean and Sam came back a few hours later and dropped his bag on the small table next to the window.

“Hey, Mouse. How are you?” He asked.

“My head is killing me from the amount of emotions in this building, but that’s not important. Dad knows something, I could feel it.” Dakota said raising the bed up as she was talking.

“I had a feeling he was lying.” Sam said.

“Also...you’re going to think this is crazy, but I think someone is here and I think it’s Dean.” She said.

“I’m sorry. What?” Sam asked.

“I keep feeling emotions coming from random spots in the room, like someone is there. It feels like Dean. I don’t know how, but...I know.” Dakota confessed.

“You’re right. That does sound crazy.” Sam said. “Get some sleep and I’ll tell your doctor to lay off the pain meds.” 

“Sam, I’m being serious!” Dakota said.

“Being serious about what?” John asked and Dakota turned to see him standing in the doorway. He walked into the room and sat down in the chair next to Dakota’s bed and Sam glared at him.

“You’re quiet, Sam.” John commented.

Sam looked like he was about to explode, “You think I wouldn’t find out? That stuff from Bobby, you don’t use it to ward off a demon, you use it to summon one!”

“What?” Dakota asked.

“You’re planning on bringing the demon here, having some stupid macho showdown!” Sam yelled.

“I have a plan.” John assured them.

“That’s exactly my point!” Sam shouted.

“Dad! Dean is dying, I just got surgery, you have a broken arm! You can’t fight him right now!” Dakota argued.

“You care more about killing this demon than you do saving your own son!” Sam yelled.

“Don’t tell me how I’m feeling! I’m doing this for Dean!” John snapped.

“How?” Dakota asked.

“How is revenge gonna help him? You’re not thinking of anyone, but yourself. It’s the same selfish obsession!” Sam yelled.

“Guys! Stop it! This isn’t going to help!” Dakota said and she tried to sit up, but ended up clutching her ribs in pain and laying back against the bad. She felt that same angry presences from early next to her again.

“That’s funny. I thought this was your obsession, too. This demon killed you mother, killed your girlfriend. You begged me to be part of this hunt! Now, if you killed this demon when you had the chance, none of this would have happened.” John argued.

Dakota closed her eyes and tried to block out the fight as Sam and john continued to yell at each other.

“It was possessing you! I would have killed you, too.” Sam shouted.

“Yeah, and your sister would be fine and your brother would be awake.” John said.

“Please leave me out of this! Just shut up!” Dakota snapped. The invisible person next to her started getting furious and the emotions along with her own were overwhelming. 

“Go to Hell!” Sam yelled at their dad.

“I should never have taken you along in the first place. I knew it was a mistake!” John yelled.

“I said shut up!” Dakota said trembling with anger. She wished she could stand up and walk out of the room. She wished her dad and brother didn’t always have to fight. Suddenly the water glass sitting on the bedside table flew across the room and shattered, making everyone in the room stop and stare at the broken glass and water on the floor.

“Dakota, please tell me that was you.” Sam said.

“...I thought that was you.” She responded. “I told you someone’s here.”

An alarm staring beeping outside and doctors and nurses ran past in the direction of Dean’s room.

“Something’s going on out there.” Sam said.

“You two go check! I can’t get up.” Dakota said waving her dad and brother out of the room.

Sam sprinted back into the room a minute later with tears running down cheeks, “His heart stopped. They had to perform CPR. He’s alright now. But Dakota, you were right. I swear I heard his voice yell ‘get away from me’ right before his heart started again.” 

Dakota let the news sink in before nodding, “So, what do we do?”

John walked back into the room and paced for a minute, “What did you mean that you felt something?”

“I mean, it felt like...like Dean. Like he was there, just out of eyesight or something. I don’t know if it’s my psychic thing or what. But do you think it’s even possible? Do you think his spirit could be around?” Dakota asked.

John smiled, “Anything is possible.”

“I have an idea. I’m going to go pick something up, I’ll be right back.” Sam said.

“Wait Sam. I’m not gonna hunt this demon. Not until we know Dean is okay.”

The doctor worked into the room, “Hello Mr. and Miss McGillicuddy. How are you feeling?”

“Fine.” Dakota said.

“Well, we need to change the dressing on your surgical incisions now.” He said and John walked out of the room, leaving Dakota alone with the doctor in the hospital room.

……….

Sam came back into Dakota’s room half an hour later with a large brown paper bag in one hand.

“If I help you, do you think you can get to Dean’s room. It’s the next room over.” Sam said. Dakota nodded and raised the bed up so she was sitting. Sam wrapped an arm around her waist and helped her stand up, gritting her teeth as she stood. She wrapped her free hand around the IV pole and with Sam’s help shuffled out of the room and into Dean’s. She almost dropped to her knees when she saw Dean’s pale body lying on the hospital bed with tubes coming out of him. Sam grabbed a chair with the hand that wasn’t supporting Dakota and dragged it to the middle of the room and sat Dakota down in it. 

Sam sat down cross legged on the ground, “Hey Dean, Kota and I think you might be around. And if you are...don’t make fun of this for me, but...there is one way we can talk.” Sam reached into the bag and pulled out a ouija board.

“Are you serious?” Dakota asked as she looked at the board. 

“It won’t hurt to try.” Sam said.

“It will hurt your pride.” Dakota argued.

Sam set the board down on the floor and looked around the room.

“You have to put you finger tips on the triangle.” Dakota said.

“What? Why do you know that?” Sam asked.

“I did this once with a friend. Just trust me!” Dakota said. Sam rolled his eyes and put his hands on the triangle in the center.

“Dean, are you here?” Sam asked and Dakota’s eyes widened as the triangle moved to “yes” before returning to the center of the board.

Dakota let out a breathy laugh and Sam smiled, “It’s good to hear from you man. It hasn’t been the same without you.” The triangle started moving again, down to the letters, “H...U...N...T...Hunting?”

“Does he know what it is?” Dakota asked.

“R...E...A...P...Reaper.” Sam said. “Is it after you?” Dakota craned her head to watch the triangle move to “yes”.

“If it’s here naturally, there’s no way to stop it.” Dakota said.

“There’s got to be a way. Dad will know what to do.” Sam said and he stood up and walked out of the room.

“Wait! I need help!” Dakota called out and Sam came back in and helped her to her room and into the hospital bed before disappearing again. He came back a moment later and sat at the end of the bed with their dad’s journal.

“Dad wasn’t in his room, but I got his journal. Maybe there’s something in here.” Sam said and he started flipping through the book. Dakota closed her eyes and started dozing off until Sam shook her awake some time later. “I couldn’t find anything in the book. I don’t know how to help.”

“We’ll keep trying, alright? As long as he keeps fighting.” Dakota promised. “I mean, come on, he can’t really leave me with you and Dad. You two will kill each other.” Dakota laughed.

Sam smiled, “Wait here for one minute.” He rushed into the hallway before coming back in with a wheelchair.

“Why didn’t we think of that earlier?” She asked and Sam shrugged. He helped her up and into the chair and adjusted her IV pole, “Where are we going?”

Sam froze for a moment, “I don’t know...I just saw the chair and...I don’t know!”

“Thank you for stealing me some wheels. Let’s go hang out in Dean’s room.” Dakota said.

They sat in Dean’s room, just talking to each other, when Dean shot up in the best and gasped around the tube in his mouth.

“We need help in her!” Dakota called.

……….

“The internal contusions are healed. Your vitals are good. You got to have some kind of angel watching over you.” The doctor explained.

“Thanks, doc.” Dean said smiling. They watched the doctor walk out of the room before Dean turned to Sam and Dakota, “You said a reaper was after me?”

“Yeah.” Dakota answered.

“How did I ditch it?” Dean asked.

“You got me.” Sam said.

“You really don’t remember anything?” Dakota asked.

“No...except this pit in my stomach. Sam, Kota, something’s wrong.” Dean said. There was a knock on the door and Dakota looked over to see their dad leaning on the door way.

“Hey, how you feeling?” John asked.

“Fine, I guess. I’m alive.” Dean said.

“That’s what matters.” John said smiling.

“Where were you last night?” Sam asked.

John hesitated for a moment, “I had some things to take care of.”

“Well that’s specific.” Sam sassed.

“Come on, Sam.” Dakota pleaded.

“Did you go after the demon?” Sam asked. John shook his head, “You know, why don’t I believe you right now?”

John walked into the room, “Can we not fight? You know, half the time we’re fighting, I don’t know what we’re fighting about. We’re just butting heads. Look, Sammy, I’ve...I’ve made some mistakes. But, I’ve always done the best I could. I just don’t to fight anymore.”

“Daddy, are you alright?” Dakota asked.

“Yeah, sweetheart, I’m just a little tired. Why don’t you have Sammy roll you down the hallway and grab me a coffee?” John suggested. Dakota tipped her head back to look at Sam who nodded and quickly wheeled her out of the room.

“That was weird, right? It’s not just me?” Sam asked once they were outside the room.

“Yeah it’s weird. Maybe it’s some kind of midlife crisis.” Dakota joked as they went down to the cafeteria. 

Dakota held the coffee in one hand and her IV pole in the other while Sam pushed her down the hall. Their dad’s room came up first so they poked their heads in to see if her was there or with Dean.

“Dad?” Dakota asked as she saw her father lying on the ground. Sam rushed forward to see check on him and Dakota dropped the coffee and ripped the IV out of her hand. “Dad!” She cried again as she rushed forward and Dean ran into the room.

“Somebody help!” Dean cried out. A few doctors rushed into the room and lifted John onto the bed and pushed the siblings out of the room. Dakota leaned against Dean as they watched the doctor shock their father’s heart and perform CPR, but he continued to flatline. 

“Come on, Dad.” She heard Sam mutter. 

Dakota had tears in her eyes as the doctors pulled from her dad and say, “Time of death 10:41 AM.”

Her knees gave out from under her and Sam reached out to grab her as Dean stood there in shock. 

John Winchester was dead.

  
  



	2. Everybody Loves a Clown Part 1

Dakota blinked her eyes as smoke wafted into them and quickly brushed the escaping tears away. She, Sam, and Dean were standing around the smoking embers of their dad’s funeral pyre in Bobby’s backyard. Dakota looked to her right and left at her two brothers who were handling their grief so differently; Sam was obviously trying to find closure, being very open with his feeling and praying a lot while Dean was keeping everything bottled in and Dakota was waiting for him to explode. Dakota wasn’t sure how she was handling this, she was mainly trying to forgive herself for not talking to her dad for two years because of some stupid fight.

“Before he...did he say anything to you?” Sam asked through tears.

“No.” Dean whispered as a single tear slipped down his cheek.

……….

One week later they were all still staying at Bobby’s and Dean had finally found the strength to start working on the car. Dakota was walking around the salvage yard and went over to her favorite spot where a 65 mustang was sitting, it was in almost perfect condition and Dakota had known from the moment she found it when she was eight and decided that it was the car for her. She had always wanted to fix it up, but her ribs were still to injured to try and get under the hood right now.

Sam walked out and smiled at her and she went over to join him as they walked over to Dean.

“How’s Baby coming along?” Dakota asked Dean who was laying under the car.

“Slow.” He answered.

“You need any help?” Sam asked and Dakota snorted.

“What? You under a hood? I’ll pass.” Dean said.

“Need anything else, then?” Sam asked. 

“Stop it, Sam. Stop asking if I need anything. Stop asking if I’m okay. I’m okay. Really, I promise.” Dean said climbing out from under the car.

“All right, Dean. It’s just...we’ve been at Bobby’s for over a week now, and you haven’t brought up Dad once.” Sam said and Dakota sighed as she mentally prepared for their fight.

“Sam.” She begged.

“You know what, you’re right. Come here. I’m gonna lay my head gently on your shoulder. Maybe we can cry and hug and maybe even slow dance.” Dean sassed.

Sam put his hands on his hips, “Don’t patronize me, Dean. Dad is dead, the Colt is gone, and it seems pretty damn likely that the demon is behind all this!” 

“What do you want me to say?” Dean asked.

Dakota stepped between Sam and Dean, “Look, we’re all struggling right now. Dean, you need to deal with this, you can’t keep it bottled in. Sam, you need to stop smothering us. I know that your way of dealing with things is to try to fix everything, but it’s driving us crazy.” Dakota said.

“Look, I cracked into Dad’s voicemail and this woman named Ellen keeps calling him, I think we should check it out.” Sam said.

“Oh, that’s…” Dakota started.

“I’ve never heard of her before.” Dean said.

“That’s ‘cause…” Dakota began.

“I know, but I traced the call and got an address.” Sam said.

“I know her address…” Dakota started.

“Let’s see if we can borrow a car from Bobby and let’s go.” Dean said and the two walked inside.

“...Why does nobody listen to me?” Dakota asked the yard full of cars.

……….

Dakota sat in the back on the minivan with her arms crossed and her headphones in. She was pissed that her brothers wouldn’t listen to her when she tried to explain that she knew Ellen and the Roadhouse that they were currently driving to. When Dakota had turned thirteen and got her first period her dad had freaked out and rushed to Ellen’s and left her there for a week and Dakota had continued to visit her “Aunt Ellen” and best friend Jo for years. However, all the anger she was feeling towards her brother melted away ash she saw the familiar run down bar approach.

“Kota, wait in the car. We don’t know who these people are and you’re still healing.” Dean ordered as he stopped the car and climbed out. Dakota nodded and sat back smirking, knowing that either Ash, Ellen, or Jo would kick Sam and Dean’s asses the minute they walked in there with their guns drawn. She waited five minutes before getting out of the car, walking to the front door and throwing them open.

“Never fear! Your favorite Winchester is here!” She said and she looked at Dean who was facing Jo’s gun and Sam who had Ellen’s gun trained on him.

“Kota!” They both yelled and ran over to hug her.

She wrapped them both in her arms, “I missed you guys so much! Sorry my idiot brothers barged in here. Where’s Ash?” She asked as they broke the hug.

“Sleeping on the pool table.” Jo answered. Dakota looked over the slightly younger girl, her blond hair was now as long as Dakota’s and she was still a few inches shorter and far to thin.

“Aunt Ellen, are you feeding Jo? She’s still so tiny.” Dakota teased and the kind eyed brunette shook her head.

“Don’t you sass me!” She said.

“Could someone explain what's going on here?” Dean suddenly yelled.

“This is Ellen and Jo Harvelle. They own this place and they are very good friends of mine. And that useless lump sleeping off a hangover on the pool table is Ash.” Dakota introduced.

“You called our dad and said you could help. Help with what?” Sam asked leaning on one of the tables.

“Well, the demon, of course. I heard he was closing in on it.” Ellen explained.

“Was there an article in  _ Demon Hunter’s Quarterly _ I missed? How do I all know about this?” Dean said sarcastically.

“Hey, I just a saloon, but hunters have been known to pass through now and again, including your dad a long time ago. John was like family once.” Ellen said.

“We still are family, Ellen.” Dakota said sitting down at one of the bar stools next to Jo.

“How come we’ve never heard of you before?” Dean asked.

“ I imagine that your sister just didn’t want to share her best friend with her brothers. As for your dad, you’d have to ask him that.” Ellen said.

“So, why exactly do we need your help?” Dean said.

“Shut up, Dean!” Dakota hissed.

Ellen put her hand on her hip and glared at him, “Hey, don’t do me any favors. Look, if you don’t want my help, fine. Don’t let the door smack your ass on the way out. But John wouldn’t have sent you if…” Ellen started and Dakota looked down at her hands in her lap, “He didn’t send you. He’s all right, isn’t he?” Dakota looked over at Dean who was looking at Sam.

“No. No he isn’t. It was the demon, we think. It got to him just before he got to it, I guess.” Sam explained tearfully.

“I am so sorry.” Ellen whispered and Jo walked up to Dakota and hugged her.

“It’s okay. We’re all right.” Dean snapped.

“Really, I know how close you and your dad…” Ellen said sympathetically.

“Really, Lady, we’re fine.” Dean growled.

After an awkward pause Sam said, “So, look, if you can help we could use all the help we can get.”

“Well, we can’t. But Ash will.” Ellen said looking at Jo and Dakota smiled.

“Ash!” Dakota yelled and the lump of the pool table behind Sam and Dean shot up and Dakota saw that Ash was wearing his usual sleeveless flannel, ripped jeans, and mullet.

“Closing time?” He asked sitting up.

“That’s Ash?” Sam asked turning back to look at them.

“Yup.” Dakota answered.

“He’s a genius.” Jo commented.

……….

“So, is your mom still not letting you drink?” Dakota asked going behind the bar while Ash explained his research to Sam and Dean.

“Oh course. I’m only 18. Not that it ever stopped you.” Jo said sitting at the bar stool.

“Do you think she would be fine with me giving you a beer since I haven’t seen you in a year.” Dakota said sliding an open beer across the counter.

“Thanks.” Jo said and Dakota opened her own bottle.

“Shall we toast?” Dakota asked.

“To John Winchester, if it weren’t for him we would have never met.” Jo held her bottle up.

“To Dad. Thank you.” Dakota said sincerely.

“My darling Dakota, ya wanna come over here and look at this.” Ash called and Dakota hopped up on the bar, swung her legs over, and walked over to the table with her beer. Ash was looking for their dad’s research.

“These are nonparametric statistical overviews, cross-spectrum correlation.” Ash said and Dakota almost spat her beer as she saw Sam and Dean’s eyes bug out, “They’re signs, omens. If you can track them, you can track this demon-crop failures, electrical storms. You ever been struck by lightning? It ain’t fun.” Ash commented.

“Can you track it or not?” Sam asked.

“Yeah, with this, I think so. But it’s going to take time. Give me...51 hours.” Ash said and Dakota leaned over and kissed his cheek.

“You are our hero.” Dakota said. She and Ash had always flirted with each other, but they, were solely friends.

“That’s what I live for.” Ash said standing up and walking to his room.

“Hey, man, By the way, I dig the hair cut.” Dean commented.

“All business up front, party in the back.” Ash said.

“So this is what you do in your freetime? Work at a bar and flirt with Lynyrd Skynyrd's roadie?” Sam asked.

“Hey, I don’t judge your friends and hobbies, you don’t judge mine.” Dakota defended and she smacked Dean’s arm as she looked over and caught him staring at Jo’s ass, “Don’t even think about it! She’s eight years younger than you and my best friend!”

Ellen walked over with a few glasses of water for them and Sam pointed to something behind the bar.

“Hey, Ellen. What’s that?” Sam asked.

She looked at where Sam was pointing and went to grab something then she walked back to them with a folder just as Dean stood up and went to talk to Jo.

“I was gonna give this to a friend, but take a look if you want.” She said setting it down. The folder was a collection of articles about murders in Medford Wisconsin that seemed connected and that weren’t too far from the Roadhouse.

“Ash said we have 51 hours.” Dakota pointed out.

“Hey, Dean. Quit flirting and come look at this!” Sam called out and Dean came over and joined them.

“A few murders, not far from here that Ellen caught wind of looks like there might be a hunt. Want to check it out?” Dakota offered.

……….

“You gotta be kidding me. A killer clown?” Dean asked from behind the wheel of the minivan as Sam and Dakota explained the case.

“Yeah, he left the daughter unharmed and killed the parents. Ripped them to pieces actually.” Sam explained.

“How come all clowns are guys? In twenty two years I have never seen or heard of a female clown.” Dakota wondered.

“That’s what you’re focusing on?” Dean asked and Dakota shrugged. “And the family was at some carnival that night?” Dean asked Sam.

“Yeah, the Cooper Carnival.” Sam answered.

“How do you know we’re not dealing with a psycho carny in a clown suit?” Dean asked.

“Because this isn’t an episode of American Horror Story.” Dakota sassed knowing that Dean watched that show on occasion, “The cops have no leads and all the employees were tearing down shop.”

“Plus, the girl said she saw the clown vanish into thin air. Cops say it’s trama of course.” Sam said.

“I know what you’re thinking Sam. ‘Why did it have to be clowns?’ You didn’t think I remembered, did you? Come one, you still burst out crying whenever you see Ronald McDonald on TV.” Dean teased.

“At least I’m not afraid of flying.” Sam sassed.

“Planes crash!” Dean justified.

“And apparently clowns kill!” Sam said and Dakota laughed, “Oh don’t act so high and mighty you freak out about heights!”

“You can fall to your death! Or worse break something important and be in agony for the rest of your life!” Dakota defended.

“How are the ribs by the way?” Dean asked.

“Sore, but we have more important things to deal with.” Dakota said.

“So, these types of murders, they ever happen before?” Dean asked.

“According to the file, 1981, the Bunker Brothers Circus. Sam M.O. It happened three different times, three different locales.” Sam read.

“If it’s a spirit, it’s usually bound to a specific location, a house or a town.” Dean said.

“How’s this one moving from city to city?” Dakota asked.

“Cursed object, maybe.” Sam suggested.

“Spirit attaches it to something and the carnival carries it around with them.” Dean said.

“Great, a paranormal  scavenger hunt.” Dakota sassed.

“This case was your idea.” Dean pointed out. “By the way, why is that? You were awfully quick to jump on this job. It’s not like you.” Dean said.

“We needed something to do for the next 51 hours. Plus, I owe Ellen, she’s done so much for me.” Dakota answered. 

“Why have you never mentioned them?” Sam asked.

“It never came up. Dad left me there when I was thirteen for a week once and...about a year after you left and Dean started hunting on his own...I got into a fight with Dad. It ended badly, I left and crashed at the Roadhouse until I could find Dean.” Dakota reluctantly explained.

“What was the fight about?” Sam asked.

“Ya know, I honestly don’t remember. It’s what he said afterwards that made me leave.” Dakota confessed. “And before you ask, no I don’t want to talk about it.”

……….

The minivan pulled up the the circus that looked like its was on it’s last legs. Dakota watched as people in costumes walked around looking miserable.

“Check it out, Five-O.” Sam said pointing to some men in suits and sunglasses interviewing some clowns.

Dean went to listen in on their conversation while Sam and Dakota waited off to the side.

“More murders?” Sam asked as Dean walked back over to them.

“Two more last night.” Dean confirmed. “Apparently, they were ripped to shreds, and they had a little boy with them.” 

“Who fingered a clown.” Sam said. Dakota looked over at Sam to see if he was joking and was shocked to find he was completely serious, she leaned forward so she could see Dean who was wearing the same expression. “What?”

“Yes, a clown, who apparently vanished into thin air.” Dean continued.

“You guys, looking for a cursed object, it’s like trying to find a needle in a stack of needles. It could be anything.” Sam said.

“Well, it’s bound to give off EMF. So,we’ll just have to scan everything.” Dakota said.

“Oh good. That’s nice and inconspicuous.” Sam said.

“I guess we’ll just have to blend in.” Dean said looking off into the distance. Dakota followed his gaze and saw that he was looking at a help wanted sign.


	3. Everybody loves a Clown Part 2

Dakota, Sam, and Dean walked into the tent with the help wanted sign and saw a man throwing knives at a target with deadly accuracy. 

“Excuse me. We’re looking for a Mr. Cooper. Have you seen him around?” Dean asked.

The man turned around and Dakota saw that he had sunglasses on and was staring past them.

“Is that some kind of a joke?” He asked and he took off his sunglasses so they could see his milky white pupils.

“I am so sorry.” Dean stammered out and Dakota tried to hold her laughter in. She hadn’t laughed in over two weeks.

“You think I won’t give you my eyeteeth to see Mr. Cooper or sunset or anything at all?” The man ranted at Dean who turned to look at Sam and Dakota.

“You want to give me a little help here?” He snapped.

“Not really.” Dakota said with a small smile.

“Barry, is there a problem?” A man asked poking his head poking his head into the tent.

“Yeah, this guy hates blind people.” Barry snapped.

“No, I don’t!” Dean defended.

“This is escalating very quickly.” Dakota whispered to Sam.

“Hey, buddy, what’s your problem?” The man asked.

“Nothing, just a little misunderstanding.” Dean said. “Look, could someone please tell me where Mr. Cooper is!”

Sam started laughing so hard that he was crying and Dakota just shook her head at the scene in front of her.

………..

“You three picked a Hell of a time to join up. Take a seat.” Mr. Cooper said leading them to his office and offered them three disturbing seats with clown faces on them on the opposite side of his desk, “We got all kinds of local trouble.”

“What do you mean?” Sam asked.

“A couple of folks got themselves murdered. Cops always seem to start here. So, you three ever worked the circuit before?” Mr. Cooper asked.

“Yes sir. Last year, Texas through Arkansas.” Dakota lied.

“Doing what? Ride jockeys? Pull shoot? A and S men?” He asked.

“Little bit of everything.” Sam said.

Mr. Cooper stared at them for a moment, “You three have never worked a show in your lives before, have you?” 

“Nope.” Dean answered with a smirk. “But, we really need the work and Sam here’s got a thing for the bearded lady.” He laughed and shrugged.

Dakota bit her lip and tried to look anywhere than Sam’s shocked face.

Mr. Cooper glared at them then pointed to a framed black and white photo on the wall behind him, “You see that picture? That’s my daddy.”

“You look just like him.” Dakota commented sweetly looking at the resemblance of the two balding men with large noses.

“He was in the business, ran a freak show till they outlawed them in most places. Apparently displaying the deformed isn’t dignified. So, most performs went from honest work to rotting in hospitals and asylums. That’s progress, I guess.” Mr. Cooper told them before pausing and Dakota wandered what this story had to do with them getting jobs, “You see this place is a refuge for outcast, always has been, for folks that don’t fit nowhere else. But you three...should go to school, find a spouse, have 2.5 kids, live regular.” 

Dakota leaned forward in her seat and stared him straight in the eye, “Sir, I don’t want to go to school. And I don’t want to be regular. I don’t want to marry some jackass and have 2.5 kids and be some boring, midwest housewife. I want this. And so do these two idiots.”

She saw Dean lean back and smirk out of the corner of her eye while Mr. Cooper looked them over.

“Let’s start with a trail run. See how you handle things.” He agreed.

Dakota smiled, “Thank you, sir.” She stood up and walked out of the trailer then realised a sigh of relief that her plan had worked.

“So that whole ‘I don’t want to go to school’ thing back there. Was that just for Cooper or did you really mean it? Cause, you’ve always talked about going to college one day.” Sam pointed out as he followed her out of the trailer.

“Yeah and when I was twenty and thought I had a chance of getting out of this life I did. I thought that one the demon was dead and the fat lady sings, I could go to a normal life, but I don’t know if it’s worth putting the people I will meet at risk.” Dakota explained.

“I’m having second thoughts about going back.” Sam confessed and Dakota looked at him in shock. “I just think Dad would have wanted us to stick to the job.”

“Since when do you give  damn about what Dad wanted?” Dean asked coming out of the trailer a minute later than them, “You spent half of your life doing what he didn’t want.”

“Since he died, okay? You have a problem with that?” Sam snapped.

“Knock it off. I realize that your methods of griefing are different and are clashing, but we have a job to do. Four people have been murdered by a disappearing clown. Those children are now orphans. You guys can subtextually fight over who Dad loved more later.”

“Subtextually?” Dean asked.

“Yes. Subtext. You are fighting over everything, but underneath it all, that is the question it boils down to. Get over it and do the job!” Dakota snapped.

……….

Their first assignment was to throw on the circus windbreaker and start cleaning up trash around the circus which gave them a great excuse to move around and scan for EMF. So far Dakota had come up with nothing on her section of rides and games and she also hadn’t seen any clowns, murderous or otherwise.

A guitar solo started playing in her pocket, she pulled out her phone and saw Sam’s name.

“Hey.” Sam said quickly, sounding very nervous.

“Hey. You okay? You sound like you saw a clown,” Dakota joked.

“Very funny...it’s was a skeleton in the funhouse. A real human skeleton. What if the spirit isn’t attached to a cursed object? What if it’s attached to it’s own remains?” He asked.

“Did the bones give off EMF?” She asked.

“Well..no, but…” He stuttered.

“We should check it out anyways. I’ll head over to you, you call Dean. We’ll meet in five.” Dakota instructed.

“What is with you taking the reins today? Who are you and what have you done with my twin?” He joked.

“Shut up.” She joked before hanging up.

Sam and Dakota stood outside of the funhouse waiting for Dean who showed up a few minutes later with a pout.

“What took you so long?” Sam asked.

“Long story.” Dean said.

Dakota was about to make a joke when she heard a little girl’s voice say, “Mommy, look at the clown!” 

All three of them whipped around to look at her, “What clown?” Her mother asked.

They ran over to where the little girl had been pointing before her mother dragged her and saw that the clown was gone.

“Maybe only kids can see it.” Dakota wondered.

……….

“Dean, I can’t believe you told Papasian about the homicidal phantom clown.” Sam said as they parked the minivan down the street from the house of the family that saw the clown. Dean had finished telling them about what had held him up at the funhouse.

“I told him an urban legend about a homicidal phantom town.” Dean said grabbing a shotgun and holding it up to examine it and Dakota quickly lowered it so no one could see it through the window.

“Oh, and get this. I mentioned the Bunker Brother Circus in ‘81 and their evil-clown apocalypse. Guess what?” Dean said.

“What?” Sam and Dakota asked at the same time.

“Before Mr. Cooper owned Cooper Carnival, he worked for the Bunker Brothers. He was their lot manager.” Dean explained.

“So you think whatever the spirit is attached to, Cooper just brought it over with him?” Sam asked.

“Something like that.” Dean answered.

Dakota turned her attention back to the house and watched the family go about their routine.

“I hate stake outs where I’m watching a house. I feel like a stalker. Seriously, we are watching this family go about their lives and closely watching the little girl like we’re freakin pedophils!” She exclaimed.

“I can’t believe we’re still talking clowns.” Dean muttered.

“I can’t believe we didn’t bring coffee or snacks.” Dakota said.

“I can’t believe you two won’t shut up!” Sam snapped.

They took turns on watch for the next several hours and next thing Dakota new Sam was shaking her awake and pointing at the house. She looked at the large window at the front of the house and saw the little girl walk towards the side entrance, most likely to let the clown in. They quietly climbed out of the car and ran across the street. Dean knelt down and picked the lock and once they were in, they all hid in different rooms as the little girl began talking about visiting her mom and dad. Dakota’s mouth dropped open as she saw a clown in a tattered and bloody yellow costume walk through the house, holding the girl’s hand. She looked across the hallway at Dean who was in the bedroom across from her and he held up the sign for her to wait.

She watched Sam round the corner and she ran forward and moved the girl as Sam emptied to shotgun rounds into the killer clown. The clown dropped to the floor, then stood back up and jumped out of the window behind it. Adult voices started screaming and coming towards them so Dakota booked it the broken window and climbed out, cutting her hands and knees in the process.

……….

It was dawn by the time Dean pulled the car off to the side of the road and they got to work. Sam moved some branches to cover the car, Dakota cleaned the inside, and Dean took the plates off, then they grabbed their bags and started walking back to town.

“You really think they saw the plates?” Sam asked.

“Better safe than sorry, Besides I hate this freaking thing anyways.” Dean complained.

“Well, one thing’s for sure. We’re not dealing with a spirit. That rock salt hit something solid.” Dakota said hiking her bag higher onto her shoulder.

“Yeah, a person, or maybe a creature that can make itself invisible?” Sam guessed.

“And dresses up like a clown for kicks?” Dean sassed.

“Did it say anything is Dad’s journal?” Dakota asked and Sam shook his head. She pulled out her phone and started scrolling through her contacts.

“Who you calling?” Dean asked.

“Ellen. Maybe she or Ash know something.” She said.

“Hey...uh...did...did Dad and Ellen ever have a thing?” Sam asked.

Dakota snorted, “No.”

The boys started fighting over dealing with their father’s death again so Dakota walked a little further up the road before calling Ellen and having a quick discussion with her. She hung up and walked back over to her brothers.

“Rakshasa. That’s Ellen’s best guess. It’s a race of ancient Hindu creatures. They appear in human form, they feed off human flesh, they can make themselves invisible, and they cannot enter a home without first being invited to.” Dakota explained.

“So they dress up like clowns and children invite them in. Why don’t they just munch on the kids?” Dean asked.

“No idea.” Dakota said.

“Not enough meat on the bones?” Sam wondered.

“What else did you find out?” Dean asked.

“Well, apparently, rakshas live in squalor. They sleep on a bed of dead insects. And they have to feed a few times every twenty to thirty years.” Dakota said.

“That makes sense. The carnival today, the Bunker Brother’s back in ‘81.” Dean said.

“Probably more before that.” Sam said.

“Hey, Sam, who do we know that worked both shows? Cooper.” Dean answered his own question.

“You know, that picture of his father, that looked just like him.” Sam said.

“Ellen say how to kill ‘em?” Dean asked.

“Legend says a dagger made of pure brass.” Dakota said.

Dean nodded, “I think I know where to get one of those.” 

“Well, before we go stabbing things into Cooper, we’re gonna wanna make damn sure it’s him.” Sam said.

“You’re such a stickler for details, Sammy.” Dean teased, “Alright, I’ll round up the blade, you two go check if Cooper’s got bedbugs.” 

They didn’t make it back into town until it was dark and the carnival was shutting down when they hopped the fence into the property.

Dakota doubled over in pain once her feet hit the ground on the opposite side of the fence.

“You okay, Mouse?” Sam whispered.

“My ribs! Jumping out the window, the long walk, and hopping the fence are putting too much strain on them.” She whimpered.

“Shit! I think you broke a stitch! You’re bleeding.” Sam said kneeling down next to her.

“We can fix it back at the motel room.” She said standing up. Sam wrapped his arm around her and helped her hobble through the carnival grounds. When they reached Cooper’s trailer Sam leaned Dakota against the wall as he picked the lock.

“Alright. Come one.” He said grabbing her arm and dragging her inside. Dakota reached down and pulled the knife out of her boot and handed it to Sam,

“I don’t her thousands of little wings. Maybe we got the wrong guy.” Dakota commented as Sam knelt next to the bed and cut into the mattress. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” A voice shouted as a gun cocked behind them. Dakota threw her hands up as Sam turned around to a very anger Mr. Cooper, “Get out of here or I’m calling the cops! Out now!” He yelled pushing them out of the trailer with the gun. 

“Now what?” Dakota asked and Sam shrugged. They started walking around the campgrounds until Dean sprinted out of one of the tents and almost crashed into them.

“Hey, Dean. So Cooper thinks that we’re peeping toms, but it’s not him.” Dakota explained holding her ribs.

“Yeh, so I gathered. It’s the blind guy. He’s here somewhere.” Dean said frantically looking around.

“Well, did you get the…” Sam started.

“The brass blade, no. It’s just been one of those days.” Dean groaned.

Dakota looked over at Sam who was deep in thought, “I got an idea. C’mon.” The boys started running ahead.

“Wait!” She called and Sam turned around and jogged back to her.

“Sorry, I forgot.” He said and he bent low so she could jump up on his back.

“What happened to you?” Dean asked when they caught back up with him and made their way to the funhouse.

“I have surgery two weeks ago to fix my lung and I have stitches, one of which has ripped.” She said.

“Sorry, Baby Girl.We’ll fix that as soon as we’re done here.” Dean said, but his voice was drowned out by a fake evil laugh playing through the room they were in. Sam and Dakota went into the next room and the door slammed closed behind them, cutting them off from Dean.

“Dean! Find the maze!” Sam instructed as he set Dakota down.

Growling sounded behind them and she slowly turned around and saw nothing, but the growling continued.

“Sam, I think we should go.” She urged and Sam grabbed her arm and led her further into the funhouse.

“I’m never going to the circus again.” She muttered under her breath.

Sam ignored her and she looked over to see what was distracting him and saw an old organ standing at the end of the hall playing some happy tune. She didn’t realize why Sam was going over to it, until it dawned on her that the pipes on the organ were most likely brass and could probably be used.

“Hey.” Dean said as he walked up next to her, having followed the maze to the other room.

“Where is it?” Sam asked.

“I don’t know. Shouldn’t we see his clothes walking around?” Dean asked.

Dakota screamed as a knife flew out of nowhere and hit Dean’s jacket, pinning him to the wall, she ducked as another knife flew towards her and barely missed the top of her head. She reached over and grabbed the knife holding Dean down and pulled as hard as she could, but it wouldn’t budge.

More knifes flew through the air as Sam looked for the rakshasa and finally a high pitched screech pierced the air. Dakota whirled her head around and saw that the brass pipe from the organ was floating in midair and blood was dripping around it. The body reappeared and dropped to the ground, completely still and Dakota finally got the knife out of the wall. She and Dean went to stand next to Sam as they caught their breaths.

“I hate funhouses.” Dean panted.

……….

The next morning they made their way over to the Roadhouse and saw several hunters were already in the bar. Dakota went and sat down at the bar and Ellen handed her a glass of water.

“I was hoping for something stronger.” She commented.

“Well, I happen to know that you have had pain medicine lately and you will not be drinking under my roof for the next twelve hours.” Ellen scolded as she opened two beers and handed them to Sam and Dean as they sat down. “You three did a Hell of a job. Your dad would be proud.”

“Thanks Ellen.” Sam said as Jo walked over. She raised her eyebrows at Dakota and Sam and motioned for them to leave.

“No.” Dakota argued and Jo glared at her. Sam grabbed her arm and dragged her away.

“C’mon. Let’s go find Ash.” Sam said as Dakota pouted. She led him to the door that was marked “Dr. Sexy” and knocked.

“Ash, we are here for your brilliant brain.” She yelled throw the door.

Ash opened the door and smiled, “Where have you guys been? I’ve been waiting for you.”

“We were working a job, Ash.” Sam explained as they walked over to an empty table.

Dean came and joined them at the table, “Did you find the demon?” Dakota asked.

“It’s nowhere around, at least nowhere I can find. But if this fugly bastard raises it’s head, I’ll know. I mean, I’m on it like divine on dog dookie.” Ash said pulling out his laptop.

“What do you mean?” Sam asked.

“I mean any of those signs or omens appear anywhere in the world, my rig will go off like a fire alarm.” Ash said turning the computer around.

“Can I?” Dean asked reaching for the computer and Ash just glared at him.

“Ash, where did you learn to do all of this?” Sam asked.

“M.I.T., before I got bounced for fighting.” Ash said nonchalantly.

“M.I.T.?” Sam asked in shock and Dakota smiled at the dorkiness.

“It’s a school in Boston.” Ash said deadpan and Dakota snorted.

Dean stood up, “Give us a call as soon as you know something.”

“Si, si, compadre.” Ash said waving them off.

“Gracias amigo.” Dakota answered.

“Let’s hit the road.” Sam said. Dakota stood up and hugged Ash, Jo, and Ellen goodbye.

“Alright, sweetheart, you know you and your brothers can always come here if you need a place to stay.” She reminded Dakota rubbing her shoulders.

“Thank you Aunt Ellen.” She whispered.


	4. Bloodlust Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Back in Black" by AC/DC

The windows of the Impala were rolled down, letting the warm summer air in as the Winchester’s spend down a forgotten country highway in the newly rebuilt ‘67 Impala.

“Whoo! Listen to her purr! You ever heard something so sweet?” Dean smiled.

“Ya know, if you two want to get a room, let me know.” Sam sassed.

“Don’t listen to him Baby. He just doesn’t understand us.” Dean said caressing the wheel.

“Okay, now this is getting awkward.” Dakota said.

“You’re in a good mood.” Sam commented. Dakota had noticed as well, Dean’s mood had been all over the place since their dad died a little less than a month ago, but he seemed to be extra cheery today.

“Why shouldn’t I be?” Dean asked. “Got my car, got a case. Things are looking up.”

“Wow. You hear of a couple severed heads and a pile of dead cows, and you’re Mr. Sunshine.” Dakota joked and Dean laughed.

“How far to Red Lodge?” Dean asked Sam.

“About another 300 miles.” Sam answered and Dakota groaned. She put her headphones in and leaned back, enjoying the warm breeze as Dean revved the engine.

……….

“The murder investigation is ongoing, and that’s all I can share with the press at this time.” The sheriff said. Dakota, Sam, and Dean were sitting in the Sheriff’s office in Red lodge in their FBI outfits posing as reporters.

“Of course, we understand that, but just for the record, you found the first head last week, correct?” Dakota asked and the officer nodded she pretended to write the information down on the pad on paper she had when really she was doodling.

“And the other, a Christina Flannigan?” Sam asked.

“That was two days ago.” The officer answered. “Sorry, times up. We’re done here.” 

“One last question. What about the cattle? The cows found dead, split open, drained, over a dozen cases.” Dean asked.

“What about them?” The Sheriff asked.

“You don’t think there’s a connection?’ Sam asked. Dakota saw that the officer looked at them like they were crazy.

“Sir, what he means is that decapitation and cattle death are often signs of a cult or satanic ritual and we simply want to inform are readers as best we can of what we are dealing with.” She interjected.

“Those cows aren’t being mutilated. You want to know how I know? Because there’s no such thing as cattle mutilation. Cow drops, leave it in the sun, within 48 hours the bloat will split it so clean it’s just about surgical. The bodily fluids fall into the ground, get soaked up, cause that’s what gravity does. But, hey, it could be satan. Now get out of my office.” He yelled.

Once they were out of the building Dakota turned to look at her brothers, “What a condescending dick!”

“I know, come one. Let’s get to the morgue.” Dean said.

They drove the short distance to the morgue and kept their fed outfits on, but threw lab coats on over them before walking into the building. There was, as usual, some college age student guarding the door to the exam room.

“Manners! Dr. Dorkin needs to see you in his office right away.” Dean said reading the guy’s name tag.

He stood up, but looked confused, “But, Dr. Dorkin is on vacation.”

“Well, he’s back and he’s pissed, and he’s screaming for you.” Dean assured him. Manners sprinted out of the room. Closing the door behind him.

“Hey, those satanist in Florida, they marked their victims didn’t they?” Dakota asked as she grabbed a pair of rubber gloves.

“Yeah, reverse pentacle on the forehead. So much F’ed up crap happens in Florida.” Dean commented.

Sam walked over to the wall of freezers and opened the door containing the first victim, with her decapitated head in a separate box by her feet.

“Alright. Open it.” Dean said.

“No way! You open it!” Dakota snapped back.

“Wuss.” He picked up the box and carried it to the exam table. He threw it opened and looked at it in disgust.

“Well, no pentagram.” Dakota commented looking at the woman’s face.

“Poor girl.” Sam said.

“Maybe we should look in her mouth, see if the wacko shoved anything down her throat. Like the moth in ‘Silence of the Lambs’.” Dean suggested.

“I’m pretty sure that only happens in movies.” Dakota said as Sam gently reached for the girl’s mouth and pushed it open.

“Kota, get me a bucket.” Sam said.

“Did you find something?” She asked in disbelief.

“No, I’m gonna puke.” Sam answered.

“Wait! I think I saw something!” Dean said. He lifted her lip up and they leaned in close.

“Is that a hole in her gums?” Dakota asked. She pushed on the area and a fang descended from the hole causing her to jump back.

“Retractable set of vampire fangs. You got to be kidding me.” Dean said.

“Well, this changes things.” Sam said.

“You think?” Dakota sassed.

……….

With no leads and no direction they made a plan to gather what information they could in a town this size, go to the bar and catch up on the local gossip. The bar was long, narrow, and falling apart. They walked up to the counter and sat on the stools.

“How’s it going?” Dakota asked the bartender.

“Living the dream. What can I get for you?” He said

“Three beers, please.” She responded.

“So, we’re looking for some people.” Sam started.

“Sure, it’s hard to be lonely.” The man said and Dakota saw him shoot a glance at her.

“Yeah...that’s not what I meant.” Sam said pulling some cash out.

The man looked at the $50 in Sam’s hand then moved down two seats to look at Dakota, “I don’t like taking money from people looking for help. What do you need, doll?”

“These people, they would have moved here six months ago, pretty rowdy, like to drink.” Dakota smiled.

“Really night owls. Sleep all day, party all night.” Dean snapped taking a sip of his beer. Dakota ignored the obvious annoyance rolling off of him, one day he would have to grow up and realise she was a twenty four year old woman who could do as she liked.

“Barker Farm got leased out a couple of months ago-real winners, they’ve been in here lot, drinkers, noisy. I had to 86 them once or twice.” The bartender said.

“Thanks.” Dean said standing up and walking for the door. Dakota reached into her pocket to pull out money for the beers.

“No charge, darlin’.” He smiled and she walked out the door.

They walked for a minute and right before they reached the car Sam said, “I think I have something stuck to my shoe.” Dakota looked up at him in shock, that was their codeword for when someone was following them. She looked around Sam at Dean who nodded and casually turned them down the nearest alleyway.

They split off ducking into the shadows as a dark figure walked down the alley, once the figure stopped they pounced on him, pinning him against the brick wall behind him. The man barely seemed fazed by three people jumping and pinning him.

“Smile. Show us those pearly whites.” Dean demanded.

“Oh, for the love of God. You want to stick that thing someplace else? I’m not a vampire. I heard you guys in there.” The man said.

“What do you know about vampires?” Sam questioned.

“How to kill them. Now seriously, bro, that knife’s making me itch.” He answered before pulling up his upper lip so they could see there were no fangs.

Dakota didn’t trust this man as far as she could throw him, whether it was her X-Man power, hunter's instinct, or just common sense everything in her was telling her this man was bad news. 

Dean released the man and pulled the knife away from his throat, “Now, who the Hell are you?” He asked.

“Tell us your’s first.” Sam snapped.

“Let’s take a walk.” The man suggested. Sam and Dean followed on the man’s heels as he led them to his old, beat up car, but Dakota hung back.

“I’m Gordon Walker.” He introduced.

“Hey, Gordon, I’m Dean Winchester. These are my siblings Sam and Dakota.” Dean replied.

“Sam, Dean, and Dakota Winchester? I can’t believe this. You know, I met your old man once. Hell of a guy, great hunter. I heard he passed. I’m sorry.” Gordon said, the first sincere thing to come out of his mouth.

“Thank you.” Dakota said.

“It’s big shoes, but from what I hear you guys fill them. Great trackers, good in a tight spot.” Gordon said.

“You seem to know a lot about our family.” Dean commented.

“Word travels fast. You know how hunters talk.” Gordon said. Dakota looked between her brothers who both looked equally confused.

“No. We don’t.” Dakota confessed.

“Guess there’s a lot your dad never told you, huh?” He said.

“So, those two vampires, they were yours?” Sam asked.

“Yup. Been here two weeks.” He answered.

“Did you check out Barker’s Farm?” Dean asked.

“It’s a bust, a bunch of hippie freaks. Though they could kill you with that patchouli smell alone.” Gordon joked.

“Where’s the nest then?” Dakota asked furrowing her brow.

Gordon smirked, “I got this one covered. Look, don’t get me wrong. It’s a real pleasure meeting you, but I’ve been on this thing for over a year. I killed a fang back in Austin, tracked the nest all the way up here. I’ll finish it.”

“Okay.” Dakota agreed at the same time Dean said, “We could help.”

“Thanks, but I’m kind of a go-it-alone type guy.” Gordon said.

“Oh come on. I’ve been itching for a hunter.” Dean said and Dakota tried to figure out what he was trying to accomplish. 

“Sorry. But, I hear there’s a chupacabra two states over. Go ahead and knock yourselves out.” Gordon informed them.

“We will. Nice meeting you.” Dakota said grabbing Dean’s jacket and pulling as Gordon got in his car and drove away.

“What the Hell was that?” He snapped at her.

“He is bad news. He’s got my empath crap going all over the place and my skin crawls when I look at him.” Dakota confessed.

Dean had insisted that they tail Gordon for the night much to Dakota’s dismay. It turns out he had the right idea, they found Gordon in a warehouse by the river being attacked by a vampire. The vamp had him pinned to a conveyor belt that was about to go through a saw. Like a well oiled machine, Dean grabbed Gordon by the legs and pulled him off of the conveyor belt while Sam punched the vampire in the face sending him flying towards Dakota, who unsheathed her machete and behead the vampire, it’s blood spurting on her face, destroying the threat within moments.

She looked over her shoulder at Gordon, “You’re welcome.”

“So...I guess I owe you guys a drink?” He said.

……….

All four of them were sitting in one on the back tables of the bar they had been in earlier and Gordon kept ordering them rounds and shots. 

He held up his shot glass to them, “Another one bites the dust.”

“That’s right.” Dean said toasting him.

“Dean, you gave that big ass fang one Hell of a haircut, my friend. That was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.” Gordon laughed and Dakota didn’t bother to correct him that she had been the one to gank the vampire.

“You alright, Sammy?” Dean asked looking over at them.

“Yeah, we’re fine.” Sam said nodding to Dakota.

“Well lighten up, Sammy.” Gordon said and Dakota glared at him.

“They’re the only ones who get to call me that.” Sam snapped pointing at his siblings.

“Okay. No offence meant. Just celebrating a little. Job well done.” Gordon said throwing his hands up in defense.

“Right. Well, decapitations aren’t my idea of a good time, I guess.” Dakota said taking a sip of her beer.

“Oh, come one, it’s not like it was human. You got to have a little more fun with your job.” Gordon said.

Dean smiled, “See, that’s what I’ve been trying to tell them. You two could learn something from this guy.”

“Yeah, I bet we could.” Sam sassed. “Look, I’m not gonna bring you guys down. I’m just going to head back to the motel. Kota, want to join me?” 

“Yes. please.” She said quickly standing up and grabbing her jacket, “We’ll get a cab, you can drive Baby back.”

“No. I’m going to keep drinking. I shouldn’t drive.” He said and he threw Dakota the keyds, “Remind me to beat the buzzkill out of you later, alright?”

They drove back to the motel room in silence and Dakota slammed the door as she walked into the room.

“I hate him! He’s bad news! We should go back and drag Dean’s ass back here with us!” She exclaimed as she started passing the room.

“He won’t listen to us. He’s found another hunter he can look up to.” Dean said.

“Well his Daddy Issues are going to get him killed!” She yelled.

“You don’t actually know that he’s anything more than a creep.” Sam pointed out.

“So I doubt your visions? No. So why are you doubting my empathy?” She pouted sitting down on the bed and crossing her arms. She grabbed her phone out of her back pocket.

“What are you doing?” Sam asked as Dakota hit the call button and pressed the phone to her ear and Sam came and sat next to her.

“Harvelle’s Roadhouse.” Ellen answered.

“Hey Aunt Ellen. It’s Dakota.” She said.

“Hey sweetheart. It’s good to hear from you. You and the boys are okay, aren’t you?” Ellen asked.

“I don’t know. I’ve got a question for you. Have you ever come across a hunter named Gordon Walker?” Dakota asked.

“Yeah, I know Gordon. He’s a real good hunter. Why you asking, sweetie?” Ellen asked.

“We ran into him on a job and we’re kind of working with him I guess.” Dakota answered.

“Don’t do that, Dakota.”  Ellen harshly whispered down the line.

“Why not? I thought you said he was a good hunter?” Dakota asked.

“Yeah, and Hannibal Lecter’s a good psychiatrist. He’s dangerous to everyone and everything around him. If he’s working on a job, you let him handle it and you move on.” Ellen warned.

“Ellen…” She started.

“No, Dakota Elizabeth...you just listen to what I’m telling you, okay?” Ellen asked.

“Yes ma’am.” Dakota answered.

“Good. You call me if there is any trouble and you come here if you need to, okay?” Ellen said.

“Yea. I love you, Aunt Ellen.” Dakota said.

“I love you too, sweetie.” Ellen said hanging up the phone. Dakota looked over at Sam who had a curious expression on his face.

“We’ve got a problem.” She said.


	5. Bloodlust Part 2

Dakota sat at the desk in the motel room on full alert. Sam had gone outside to get a soda and she could feel very strong feelings of nervousness, anger, and fear lurking just outside. She had her knife drawn as she sat, waiting for her twin to show back up. When he finally did open the door it was only a moment before two figures rushed into the room.

Dakota sprang up from her seat and swung the knife at the man who charged her, but he quickly dodged it wrapping her in a choke hold. She threw her elbow back into his stomach causing his grip to loosen, allowing her to get free as footsteps approached her from behind. Before she could turn to face her attacker, something hit her over the head and the world went dark.

……….

When Dakota woke up, she couldn’t see anything, but judging from how hot her face was and how she could feel her breath, she would guess it was because there was a bag over her head. She tried to move her arms and found that they were tied behind her, as well as her legs being tied to the legs of the chair she was sitting on.

Light flooded her vision as the bag was ripped off and one of the men who had been in their motel room stood in front of her. She looked around for Sam, but didn’t see him. She opened her mouth to yell out for her brother and only then realized that there was a gag in her mouth as well.

She glared at the man as fangs descended and he started stalking towards her, “Step back, Eli.” A voice commanded.

Dakota turned her head to look and saw a woman leaning on the door frame looking into the room and saw that Sam was tied up and conscious in the other room. The man took a step back, still baring his fangs at her.

“My name’s Lenore. I’m not gonna hurt you. We just need to talk.” The woman said ripping the gag out of Dakota’s mouth.

She licked her lips before she spat at her captives, “Talk? Okay. But I might have a tough time paying attention to much besides Eli’s teeth.”

Lenore turned and nodded at Eli who went into the other room and dragged Sam’s chair, dragging him into the room and pulling his gag out.

“You okay, Sammy?” Dakota asked and he nodded.

“He won’t hurt you, and neither will I. You have my word.” Lenore promised.

“Your word? Oh, yeah, great, thanks.” Sam sassed.

“Lady, no offense, but you’re not the first vampire we’ve met.” Dakota added. “Wait! Aren’t you the bartender?” She asked nodding towards Eli.

Lenore ignored her, put her hands on her hip, ‘We’re not like the others. We don’t kill humans, and we don’t drink their blood. We haven’t for a long time.”

“Is this some joke?” Sam asked.

“Notice, you’re both still alive.” Lenore snapped.

“Okay...correct me if I’m wrong here, but shouldn’t you be starving to death?” Dakota asked.

“We found other ways. Cattle blood.” Lenore explained.

“You’re telling us that you’re responsible for all the…” Sam started.

“It’s not ideal. In fact, it’s disgusting. But it allows us to get by.” Lenore said.

“Why?” Dakota and Sam asked at the same time.

“Survival. No deaths, no missing locals, no reason for people like you to come looking for people like us. And we blend in. Our kind is practically extinct. It turns out, we weren’t as high up on the food chain as we imagined.” Lenore said.

“Why are we explaining ourselves to these killers?” Eli growled, “We choke on cow’s blood so that none of them suffer. Tonight, they murdered Conrad and they celebrated.”

“Eli, that’s enough.” Lenore commanded.

“Yeah, Eli, that’s enough.” Dakota sassed and Sam rolle his eyes.

“What’s done is done.” Lenore said to Eli before turning back to them, “We’re leaving town tonight.”

“Then we did you bring us here? Why are you even talking to us?” Sam asked.

“Believe me, I’d rather not. But I know your kind, once you have the scent, you’ll keep tracking us. It doesn’t matter where we go. Hunters will find us.” Lenore said.

“So, you’re asking us not to follow you?” Dakota summarized.

“We have a right to live. We’re not hurting anyone.” Lenore begged.

“Right, so you keep saying. Give me one good reason why we should believe you.” Sam said.

Lenore walked over to Dakota’s chair and leaned down to look at her in the face, the two staring at each other until Dakota felt a knife at her wrist and suddenly she was free. Lenore processed to free her ankles, then moved on to Sam.

“Take them back. Not a mark on them.” Lenore ordered looking over to Eli. Another man walked into the room and slipped a bag over Sam’s head as Eli covered Dakota’s. Dakota wondered where Dean was and if he was looking for them.

……….

Dakota and Sam walked into the motel room once they were released in the parking lot and saw Dean and Gordon sitting at the table, looking over a map.

“Hey! Where have you guys been?” Dean asked as if they hadn’t been missing for an hour.

“Can we talk to you alone?” Sam asked.

“You mind chilling out for a couple of minutes?” Dean asked Gordon who nodded.

Once they were outside Dean grabbed Dakota’s shoulder, “You okay Baby Girl, you’re shaking.” he said and Dakota looked down to see that her hands were twitching around without her control.

“Maybe we should rethink this hunt.” Sam suggested.

“What are you talking about? Where were you?” Dean asked.

“In the nest.” Dakota said as the three started walking through the parking lot.

“You found it!?” Dean asked.

“They found us.” Sam corrected.

“How did you guys get out? How many did you kill?” Dean asked.

“None.” Dakota said.

“Kota, they didn’t just let you go.” Dean said.

“That’s exactly what they did.” Sam said.

“Alright, well, where is it?” Dean asked.

Dakota stopped walking, “I don’t know. I was blindfolded the whole time.”

“You got to know something.” Dean said.

“We went over that bridge outside of town, but we shouldn’t go after them.” Sam said.

Dean looked at them like they were crazy, “Why not?”

“They aren’t like other vampires. I don’t think they kill people.” Sam said.

“You’re joking. How do they stay alive, or undead, or whatever the Hell they are?” Dean asked.

“The cattle mutilations. They said they live off the animal blood. That they have for a long time. Dean, I know you think we’re crazy, but look at us. They let both of us go without a scratch.” Dakota said.

“No. No way, guys. I don’t know why they let you go. I don’t really care. We find them and we waste them.” Dean said.

“Why?” Sam asked.

“What part of vampires do you two not understand? If it’s supernatural, we kill it, that’s our job.” Dean explained.

“Our job is to hunt down evil. They aren’t evil! Why are we going to kill these people who aren’t hurting anyone?” Dakta asked.

“Not you too, Kota.” Dean groaned, “Of course, they’re killing people. That’s what they do. They’re all the same. They’re not human, okay? We have to exterminate every last one of them.” Dakota ran her hands over her face as Sam pinched the bridge of his nose and Dean crossed his arms.

“No, Dean, I don’t think so. Not this time!” Sam said.

“Gordon’s been on those vamps for a year, he knows.” Dean said pointing at the motel.

“Gordon? You’re taking his word? I’ve been getting all sorts of bad vibes from him and Ellen says he dangerous. I don’t trust a damn thing that comes out of Gordon’ mouth!” Dakota snapped.

“You called Ellen? And I’m suppose to listen to her? I barely know her. No thanks, I’ll go with Gordon.” Dean said.

“Yeah? Well, I’ve known Ellen for ten years and my empathy doesn’t start hurting me and giving me headaches when I’m around her. I get nothing, but danger and pain from Gordon!” Dakota said.

“I don’t think you see what this is.” Sam said.

“Oh? And what is this?” Dean sassed.

“This is a substitute for Dad. A poor one at that.” Sam said.

Dean shook his head and tried to laugh it off, turning away, “Shut up, Sam.”

“He’s not close, Dean, not even on his best day. You slap on this fake smile, but I can see right through it, ‘cause I know how you feel. Dad’s dead, and he left a hole, and it hurts so bad you can’t take it. But you can’t fill that hole with whoever you want to. It’s an insult to his memory.” Sam finished. Dakota stood frozen to the spot ready for Dean or Sam to lose it and started throwing punches.

“Okay.” Dean smirked before pulling his fist back and nailing Sam on the left side of his face. Dakota caught him as he stumbled backwards and turned to Dean who had started walking away and kicked him in the back on the knee, sending him sprawling to the ground for a moment.

“Knock it off!” She screamed. “Y’all can hit each other all you want, but it’s not going to change anything. Let’s deal with the problem at hand.”

“I’m going to that nest, You two don’t want to tell me where it is? Fine. I’ll find it myself.” Dean said getting off the ground and walking to the motel room with Sam right on his heels. Dakota leaned against the Impala and took a few deep breaths.

Sam and Dean stored out of the room a moment later and stalked towards the car. As Dean threw the front door open and slammed it behind him Dakota shot a questioning look at Sam.

“Gordon took off and took the Impala keys with him.” Sam explained as he got in the car. Dakota climbed in the back and listened to Dean grumbled about having to ruin Baby right after fixing her, but the engine finally turned over.

“So, the bridge, is that all you got?” Dean asked.

“The bridge was four and a half minutes from their farm.” Dakota said as Sam pulled out a map.

“How do you know that?” Dean asked.

“I counted.” Dakota answered.

“We took a left out of the farm, turned right onto a dirt road, followed that for for about two minutes uphill, then took another quick right, and we hit the bridge.” Dakota said as Sam traced the path on the map.

“You’re good. You’re a monster pain in the ass, but you’re good.” Dean said.

“Thank you.” Dakota puffed out her chest.

……….

They pulled up in front of the farm house and saw that there was a truck outside that was in the process of being loaded. They quietly walked into the room where Sam had been held and heard cries and saw Lenore tied to a chair with Gordon cutting her up with a knife. 

“Gordon, what’s going on?” Dean asked.

“Just poisoning Lenore here with some dead man’s blood. She’s gonna tell us where her friends are, aren’t you? Want to help?” Gordon asked. Dean looked nervously over at Sam and Dakota before cautiously stepping forward.

“Look man…” Dean started.

“Grab a knife. I was just about to start in on the fingers.” Gordon encouraged.

Dakota now realised what Ellen meant when she compared Gordon to Hannibal Lecter. This man was crazy. She watched as Lenore slumped forward as far as her restraints would allow.

“Woah, woah, woah, let’s just chill out.” Dean said.

“I’m completely chill.” Gordon said.

“Gordon, put the knife down.” Sam said.

“It sounds like it’s Sam that needs to chill.” Gordon said.

“Just step away from here, alright?” Dakota said holding her hands up in hands up in defense. 

Gordon looked at Lenore then put the knife down on the table and started digging through his bag. 

“You’re right, this bitch will never talk. Might as well put her out of her misery. I just sharpened it, it’s completely humane.” He sassed Dakota and Sam pulling a machete out.

“Gordon, I’m letting her go.” Sam said walking over to lenore.

“You’re not doing a damn thing.” Gordon said turning the knife on him and Dakota stepped up to him.

“Gordon, let’s talk about this.” Dean said.

“What’s there to talk about? It’s like I said, Dean, no shades of grey.” Gordon said.

“Yeah, I hear ya. And I know how you feel.” Dean said. “The vampire that killed your sister deserved to die, but…” 

Dakota looked over at Dean in confusion, but Gordon continued talking.

“Killed my sister. That filthy fang didn’t kill my sister. It turned her, made her into one of them. So I hunted her down and killed her myself.” Gordon explained.

“...You did what?” Dean asked in complete shock and Dakota noticed that his face had paled.

“It wasn’t my little sister anymore. It wasn’t human. I didn’t blink and neither would you.” Gordon said shooting a look at Dakota. She felt pressure on her hand and looked down to see that Sam had a white knuckle hold on her hand.

“So you knew all along, then. You knew the vampires weren’t killing anyone. You knew it was about the cattle and you just didn’t care.” Sam said

“Care about what?” Gordon asked, “A nest of vampires suddenly acting nice, taking a little time out from sucking innocent people, and we’re suppose to buy that? Trust me, it doesn’t change what they are. And I can prove it.” He lunged forward and grabbed Dakota, wrapping his arm around her neck and pushing on her windpipe with a knife.

Both her brothers pulled out guns and trained it on Gordon, “Let her go.” Dean said.

“Relax, if I wanted to kill her she’d already be on the floor. Just making a point.” Gordon said.

He moved the knife and dragged it over Dakota’s forearm and holding the bleeding cut over Lenore.

Gordon squeezed her arm, causing her cut to drip a few splashes of blood on Lenore’s face. Dakota looked down as the woman growled and her fangs began to come out.

“Think she’s so different? Still want to save her? Look at her! They’re all the same, evil, bloodthirsty.” Gordon said as all eyes trained on Lenore as she hissed and strained against her bonds. 

Dakota watched in shock as Lenore retracted her fangs and started muttering “no” over and over again.

“You hear her, Gordon?” Dakota asked. He looked at her then released her, shoving her into Dean who immediately tucked her behind him.

“We’re done here.” Sam said as he untied Lenore and cradled her in his arms.

Gordon tired to step forward, but Dean stopped him, “Gordon, I think you and I have got some things to talk about. Sammy, take them outside.” Dean instructed. Sam started walking out with lenore in his arms and Dakota followed closely behind. She rushed to the car and grabbed the first aid kit so they could stitch her up.

“Would you mind standing back?” Lenore whispered staring at Dakota’s arm. She looked down in confusion then realized that standing around a vampire with a bleeding cut wasn’t such a good idea.

“Sure. Sam, can you hand me some gauze and tape?” She asked and Sam tossed her the material. She walked over to the front steps of the house and started patching herself up. Fifteen minutes later Dean came out of the house and walked over to Dakota. She stood up as Dean wrapped her in a hug, holding her as tight as possible, until she felt someone grab her front behind and released she was now in a group hug with her brothers.

……….

Sam and Dakota went and dropped the vampires off far away and made sure to cover their tracks before returning to the farm house where Dean was keeping Gordon tied up.

“Did we miss anything?” Sam asked as they walked in.

“Not much. Did Lenore get out okay?” Dean asked.

“Yeah, all of them did. Every single vampire.” Dakota smirked.

“Then I guess our work here is done.” Dean shrugged. “How ya doing, Gordie? Got to tinkle yet. Well, get comfy, we’ll call someone  in two or three days, have someone untie you.

“You guys ready to go?” Sam asked.

“Not quite yet.” Dakota said. She walked in front of Gordon’s chair and stared at him for a moment before pulling her fist back and hitting him square in the jaw, “Okay, I’m good now. We can go.”

Sam chuckled as they walked out of the house and into the early morning sun.

“Hey Sam. clock me one.” Dean said jumping on his toes.

“What?” Sam asked.

“I won’t even hit you back. Come on.” Dean promised.

“No.” Sam said.

“Let’s go! You get a freebie.” Dean said.

“Not to interpret Fight Club, but I haven’t slept and Dean, you look like you went twelve rounds with a block of cement.” Dakota said.

“I’ll take a rain check on that though.” Sam promised.

“I wish we never took this job. It just jacked everything up.” Dean said walking to the car.

“What do you mean?” Dakota asked.

“Think about all the hunts we went on, Sammy, Kota, our whole lives. What if we killed things that didn’t deserve killing? You know? I mean, the way Dad raised us.” Dean said.

“Dean, after what happened to Mom, Dad did the best he could.” Sam said.

“I know he did. But maybe he wasn’t perfect.And the way he raised us to hate those things and, man, I hate them. I do. When I killed that vampire at the mill, I didn’t even think about it. Hell, I even enjoyed it.” Dean explained.

“You didn’t kill Lenore.” Sam said.

“No, but every instinct told me to.” Dean said, “I was gonna kill her. I was going to kill them all.” Dean argued.

“But you didn’t, and that’s what matters.” Dakota pointed out.

“Yeah…’cause you two are a pain in my ass.” Dean joked.

“Well, guess we’ll just have to stick around to be pains in the ass then.” Sam said.

Dean smiled, “Thanks.” 


	6. Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to update. Hopefully I will be back on schedule and posting a chapter a week.

“Come on guys. I’m begging you. This is stupid.” Dean said as they drove down in the road.

“Why? Why is this stupid?” Dakota asked resting her head on the front bench.

“Going to visit Mom’s grave?” Dean asked “She doesn’t even have a grave. There was no body left after the fire.”

“She has a headstone.” Sam said.

“Put up by our uncle, a man we have never met. You two want to pay your respects to a slab of granite put up by a stranger.” Dean complained.

Dakota groaned, “That’s not the point.”

“Then please enlighten me.” Dean said.

“It’s not about a body or a casket. It’s about her memory, okay?” Sam explained. “After Dad I just feel like it’s the right thing to do.”

“It’s irrational, is what it is.” Dean said.

“No one asked you to come.” Sam said.

“Why don’t we swing by the Roadhouse again? We haven’t heard anything on the demon lately. We should be hunting that son of a bitch down.” Dean suggested.

“That’s a good idea, you should. Sam and I’ll hitch a ride back and meet you there tomorrow. Tons of people go visit their loved ones graves. Sam and I didn’t get to know Mom and we just lost Dad, so we are going to Kansas and you are going to stop complaining.” Dakota snapped.

……….

Dakota and Sam stood over the tombstone of Mary Winchester in Lawrence, Kansas. She looked down at the headstone and felt strangely at peace. She loved her mom, even if she hadn’t known her in any other way than the stories she heard from her dad and Dean. She didn’t often feel sad about her mother’s death, if anything she felt sad for Dean and her dad who had to live with the memories and sadness that came with her death. Sam walked up and  knelt down in front of the grave and reached into his pocket, pulling out their dad’s dog tags.

“Um...I think Dad would want you to have these.” He whispered before pulling out his knife and dug a small hole, burying the do tags next to their mother.

“I love you, Mom.” Dakota whispered.

This was good for her, she could tell. Even though she had put on a good act for her brothers, she was not handling her dad’s death very well, but putting his tags with her mom seemed to give Dakota at least some closure. She reached up for the necklace she was always wearing and felt her father’s wedding ring next to her mom’s engagement ring and smiled.

“Hey guys!” Dean called them over and they walked over to where he was standing, in a perfect circle of dead grass. He was talking to a man who seemed to work at the cemetery before walking over to them.

“Angela Mason. She was a student at the local college. Her funeral was three days ago.” Dean explained.

“And?” Sam asked.

“What do you mean ‘and’? In three days all the life in a five foot perfect circle around this girl’s rave died.” Dakota said raising an eyebrow at Sam.

“You don’t think that’s a little weird?” Dean asked.

“Maybe the groundskeeper went a little agro with the pesticides.” Sam suggested.

“No. I asked him, no pesticides, no chemicals. Nobody can explain it.” Dean answered and they started walking to the car.

“So, what are you thinking?” Dakota asked.

“I don’t know. Unholy ground, maybe.” Dean guessed.

“Really?” Sam sassed.

“Yes really. If something evil happened it could have easily poisoned the ground. Remember the farm outside of Cedar Rapids? It could be a sign of a demonic presence or the Angela girl’s spirit if it’s powerful enough.” Dean explained.

“If it was a demon there would be more evidence. I’ve never seen a spirit kill everything in a perfect circle, but it’s worth looking into her.” Dakota agreed.

Sam rolled his eyes and walked faster towards the car.

“Well don’t get too excited. You  might pull something.” Dean said sarcastically.

“It’s just...stumbling onto a hunt, here of all places.” Sam said.

“So?” Dakota asked.

“So, are you sure this is about a hunt and not something else?” Sam asked as they reached the Impala.

“Really, that’s the angle you are going with?” Dakota sassed.

“What else would it be about?” Dean asked.

Sam sighed, “Just forget about it.” Sam said getting in the car. Dakota rolled her eyes and opened the back door.

“Believe what you want, Sam, but I let you two drag my ass out here. The least we can do is check this out. The girl’s dad worked in town, he’s a professor at the school.” Dean said getting into the car.

……….

They arrived at the local city college and went to Doctor Mason’s office. An older man opened the door, he had a receding white hair and dark bags under his eyes.

“Yes?” He asked answering the door.

“I’m Sam, this is Dean and Dakota. We’re friends of Angela’s. We wanted to offer our condolences.”

“Please, come in.” Dr. Mason said opening the door wider and motioning them in.

Dr, Mason pulled out a photo album he had in his office and handed it to Dakota, inside it was full of photos of Angela. He, Dakota, and Sam started flipping through it and talking while Dean subtly looked around the office.

“She was beautiful.” Sam said looking over Dakota’s shoulder.

“This is an unusual book.” Dean said pulling a book off of the shelf.

Dakota looked up and saw that Dean was holding a thick book covered in ancient looking symbols.

“Oh, it’s ancient Greek. I teach a course.” Doctor Mason explained and Dean put the book back.

“So, a car accident. That’s-that’s horrible” Dean said.

“Angie was only a mile away from home when…” Dr. Mason trailed off.

“It must be so hard. Losing someone like that.” Dakota said

“Unlike anything you could imagine.” He whispered. Dakota could imagine, she had lost her dad not long ago and could feel the grief coming off of this man in tidal waves.

“Yeah, sometimes it’s like they’re still around. Like you can sense their presences. You ever feel anything like that?” Dean asked.

Dr. Mason nodded, “I do, as a matter of fact.”

Dean raised an eyebrow at Sam who glared at him, “that’s perfectly normal Dr. Mason, especially with what you are going through.” Sam said.

“You know, I still phone her and the phone’s ringing before I remember that…” He trailed off, “Family’s everything, you know? Angie was the most important thing in my life and now I’m just lost without her.” He explained as tears formed in his eyes.

“We’re so very sorry.” Dakota whispered.

……….

“I’m telling you, there is something going on, we just haven’t found it yet.” Dean said from where he was sitting at the kitchen table of the motel room they had rented.

Dakota looked away from the tv show she was mindlessly watching as Sam walked out of the bathroom.

“Dean, so far you have got a patch of dead grass and nothing.” Sam said.

“Something killed those plants at the cemetery in a perfect circle.” Dakota said standing up.

“Kota’s right, something turned it into unholy ground.” Dean agreed.

“There’s no reason for it to be unholy.” Sam argued, “Angela Mason was a nice girl who died in a car crash. That’s not exactly vengeful-spirit material. You heard her father,”

“Yeah, well maybe daddy doesn’t know everything there is to know about his little angel. You do honestly think a college girl was openly telling her dad she was sneaking out, partying, and having sex?” Dakota sassed putting her hands on her hips.

“Why does it sound like you’re speaking from experience?” Sam sassed back, copying her stance, “You know what, we never should have bothered that poor man. We shouldn’t even be here anymore.”

Dakota took a step forward, but Dean got between them, “Knock it off. So, what Sam, we just bail without even figuring out what’s going on?”

Sam looked at the ground then back up, “I think I know what’s going on here.”

“Please don’t this.” Dakota begged, knowing her twin was going to bring up the sore subject of their dead parents.

“It’s the only reason I went along with this so far.” Sam continued ignoring Dakota who hung her head and sat back down on the bed.

“What are you talking about?” Dean asked.

“This is about Mom’s grave.” Sam said.

“Oh my God.” Dakota muttered and she leaned over and grabbed one of the pillows at the head of the bed so she could scream into it when the time came.

Dean scoffed, “It’s got nothing to do with it.”

“You wouldn’t step within 100 yards of it. Look, maybe you’re imagining a hunt where there isn’t one so you don’t have to think about Mom or Dad.” Sam said. Dean glared at Sam and Dakota didn’t need to be an empath to see the anger simmering under his skin, You want to take another swing? Go ahead, if it will make you feel better.”

“I don’t need this crap.” Dean said grabbing his jacket and the car keys and walking out

“Nice job, Sam.” Dakota said flopping her face down into the pillow.

Dakota went to take a quick shower and finished drying off and getting dressed at the same time Dean came home. Dean entered the room and Dakota exited the bathroom both to find Sam sitting in the bed watching some crappy Casa Exortic porno on tv.

“Dude!” Dakota exclaimed.

“Awkward.” Dean said as Sam quickly turned the television off.

“Where the Hell were you?” Sam asked.

“I was just working our imaginary case. And you were right, I didn’t find much. Oh! Except that Angela’s boyfriend died last night. Slit his own throat, but, hey, that’s normal. Uh, let’s see, what else? He was seeing Angela everywhere before he died. But, you know, I’m sure that is just me transferring my own feelings.” Dean sassed pulling off his jacket and tossing it on top of the television.

“Okay I get it.” Sam said throwing his hands up in surrender.

“Maybe next time you should just stick to law instead of psychology.” Dakota teased dropping down onto the bed across from Sam.

“Alright, maybe there’s something going on here.” Sam said.

“Maybe?” Dakota and Dean parroted.

“Sam, I know how to do my job, despite what you might think.” Dean snapped.

There was silence for a moment, “We should check out the guy’s apartment.” Sam suggested.

“I just came from there.” Dean confessed sitting down next to Dakota.

“You should have brought us with you.” Dakota said.

“There wasn’t much there. But there was a pile of dead plants, just like the cemetery. Hell, dead goldfish, too.” Dean said.

“I don’t think it’s unholy ground. It doesn’t seem to fit. Plus, I’m not getting that angry-spirit vibe from Angela.” Dakota said.

“Well, I have been reading this.” Dean said getting up and walking over to his jacket, pulling a book out of his jacket pocket.

“You stole the girl’s diary?” Sam asked.

“Yeah. And if anything the girl is a little too nice.” Dean said flipping through the pages.

“So what do you want to do?” Dakota asked.

“Keep digging, talk to more of her friends.

……….

“I didn’t realize the college employed grief counselors.” Neal said. The three had found the name of one of Angela’s best friends and went to visit him.

“The college tries to give students as many outlets as possible for you to succeed. You talk, we listen.” Dakota said.

“I think I’m okay. Thanks.” Neal said.

“Well, you heard about Matt Harrison, right? We just wanted to make sure you’re okay. Grief can make people do crazy thinking.” Sam said.

He looked at them like they were crazy, “Look, I’m sorry about what happened to him. I am. But if Matt killed himself, it wasn’t ‘cause of grief.” Neal said.

“No. Then why?” Dean asked.

“It was guilt. Angie’s death was Matt’s fault and he knew it.” Nea' said.

“How was it his fault?” Sam asked.

Neal crossed his arms, “She really loved that guy, but the night of the accident she walked in on him with another girl. She was really torn up, that’s why she crashed.” He explained. “So...I gotta get ready for work, I appreciate the concern, but I’ll be fine.” He said walking into his house and closing the door.

“Hey, Sam? If you’re good friend died in a terrible crash would you be fine after a week?” Dakota asked and Sam shook his head as they walked off the porch.

“Well, my vengeful spirit idea is looking more likely. I mean, Hell hath no fury” Dean said.

“So, if Angela got her vengeance on Matt, do you think it’s over?” Sam asked.

“I’d burn the bones just in case.” Dakota said hopping off the sidewalk and rounding the car.

“Burn the bones? Are you high? Angela died last week. There’s not going to be any bones, there’s going to be a ripe, rotting corpse.” Sam exclaimed.

“And we are going to do our job and put this poor girl to rest.” Dakota said.


	7. Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look who finally got around to updating! Sorry about the long wait!

Dakota pushed the hair out of her face as she leaned against the wall of the grave they had been digging for the last hour. All three of them had shed their jackets and were panting by the time they finally reached Angela’s grave. 

“Ladies first.” Dean said as he and Sam went to stand off to the side of the cabin.

Dakota groaned, “Y’all suck.” She complained as she reached down and threw the lid if the coffin open. It was empty.

“They buried the body four days ago.” Dean panted out and Sam reached for there bag by the tombstone and pulled out two waters.

“I don’t get it.” He said as he passed his water to Dakota. She didn’t take it, she was busy staring at the inside of the coffin.

“What is that? The fabric is all torn.” Dakota said shining her flashlight.

“Are those carvings?” Dean asked bending down to examine it. “Wait, I’ve seen these kinds of symbols before.” 

……….

Bright and early the next morning they found themselves standing on the front porch of Dr. Mason’s house and Dean was banging on the door so hard he could probably break it.

“Dude!” Dakota exclaimed as he continued to knock.

“Take it easy.” Sam said.

Dean stopped knocking and took a step back, glaring at the door. Dr. Mason opened the door still in his robe and pajamas.

“You’re Angie’s friends, right?” He asked.

“Yes, sir, we are.” Dakota said. “Dr. Mason…”

“We need to talk.” Dean cut her off.

He looked at them like they were crazy, but opened the door wider all the same, “Please, come in.”

“Thank you.” Sam and Dakota said as they walked into the house.

“You teach Ancient Greek? Tell me, what are these?” Dean demanded, pulling out the copy of the carvings Sam had done last night.

“I don’t understand, I thought this had something to do with Angela?” He said accepting the paper.

“It does. Please, just humor me.” Dean said, toning down his anger a little. Dakota looked at the man sitting on the sofa as he examined the paper and she took a seat in one of the chairs across from him, trying to get a read on him, but all she felt was grief.

“They’re part of an ancient Greek divination ritual.” Dr. Mason said.

“Used for necromancy, right?” Dean asked, a bit of a bite coming back into his tone.

“That’s right.” He answered.

“See, before we came over here, we stopped by the library and did a little homework ourselves. Apparently, they use rituals like this one for communicating with the dead, even bringing corpses back to life. Full-on zombie action.” Dean spat and Dakota shot him a warning look.

“Yeah...I mean, according to the legends...What’s all this about?” Dr. Mason asked cautiously.

“I think you know.” Dean accused.

“Dean.” Sam warned.

“Look, I get it. There are people that I would give anything to see again, but what gives you the right?” Dean asked.

“Dean!” Dakota snapped. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed something behind Dean, a flower pot with beautiful living flowers in it. 

“What are you talking about?” Dr. Mason asked.

“What’s dead should stay dead!” Dean yelled.

“What?” Dr. Mason asked.

“Stop it!” Dakota yelled and Sam walked over to Dean and put a hand on his shoulder.

“What you brought back isn’t even your daughter anymore! These things are vicious, they’re violent! They’re so nasty they rot the ground around them. I mean, come one! Haven’t you seen ‘Pet Sematary’?” Dean yelled.

Dr. Mason shook his head, “You’re insane. Get out of my house.” 

Dean tried to fight, but Sam dragged him out.

“I’m so sorry, Dr. Mason. We won’t bother you again.” Dakota said walking out and closing the door behind her. She turned to look at Dean, “What the Hell was that?” She yelled as Dean stalked towards the car. 

“My job!” He yelled.

“No you weren’t, if you had been you would have seen that all the plants in the house were alive.” Sam argued.

“Back off.” Dean grumbled.

“That man in there is innocent and grieving. He didn’t deserve that.” Dakota said.

“Okay, so she’s not there. Maybe he’s keeping her somewhere else.” Dean said.

Stop it! That’s enough, okay? Enough!” Sam said quickening his step to catch up with Dean.

“Sam, I  know what I’m doing!” Dean said still walking down the street towards the car and Dakota walked quicker, trying to keep up with her big brothers long strides. 

“No, you don’t...at all. I don’t scare easy, but you’re scaring the crap out of me, man.” Sam confessed.

“Don’t be overdramatic, Sam.” Dean said.

“You’re lucky this turned out to be a real case, cause if it wasn’t you would have just found something else to kill.” Sam said cutting in front of Dean to stop them from walking.

Recognizing where the conversation was headed, Dakota decided it was time to intervene. She stood on the garden wall of the house they were in front of so she was the same high as Sam and Dean and put her hands on her hips.

“You two need to knock it the Hell off! Sam, for the love of all things Holy stop trying to be Dean’s therapist and fix all our problems, you aren’t getting anywhere! Dean, I know you think everything is fine, but please find a way to deal with whatever crap is bottled up inside of you. Get a hobby, take up yoga, write a novel I don’t care. Figure it out! Now, if you two could please get your heads out of your asses we have a case her with a growing body count!” She snapped.

The boys were frozen in shock as Dakota hopped off the wall and walked to the car with her head held high.

……….

“So, you can’t just waste it with a head shot?” Dean asked once they were back in their motel room pouring over research.

“Dude, you’ve been watching way too many Romero films.” Dakota said.

“So, you’re saying there’s no lore on how to smoke them?” Dean asked pacing the room.

“No, Dean, I’m saying there’s too much lore.” Sam corrected, “There’s a hundred different legends on the walking dead, but they all have different methods for killing them. Some say setting them on fire. One says feeding their hearts to wild dogs.”

“That one’s my personal favorite.” Dakota interjected.

“Is there anything they all have in common?” Dean asked.

“Yeah, the vic is dead and back up and around.” Dakota said and Dean shot her an unamused look.

“A few say that silver might work.” Sam said.

“Silver’s a start.” Dean nodded.

“Yeah, but now we have to find Angela. How are we going to do that?” Dakota asked.

“We gotta figure out who brought her back.” Dean said 

“Okay. Any ideas?” Sam asked.

“I think it might be that Neal guy. As much as I would like to think that a they can be opposite sexes and just be friends, but he probably has a crush on her.” Dakota said.

“If it’s not the dad, it’s probably Neal.” Dean agreed. “Plus I got Angela’s diary, ‘Neal’s a real shoulder to cry on. He so understands what I’m going through with Matt.’ And there’s more where that came from. This thing’s got unrequited duckie love all over it.”

“That doesn’t mean he brought her back from the dead.” Sam argued.

“Ture, but did I mention that he is Dr. Mason’s T.A.?” Dean asked sarcastically, “He has access to all the same books.” 

“Let’s go pay Neal a visit.” Dakota said standing up and grabbing her jacket off the back of her chair.

They piled into the Impala and drove over to Neal’s house and by the time they pulled up it was dark outside and all the lights in the house were out. They quickly picked the lock and entered the house.

“Neal, it’s your grief counselors. We’ve come to hug.”  Dean called out.

“Silver bullets?” Dakota asked as they started walking around the house. Dean pulled his gun out and checked the clip.

“Enough to make her rattle like a change purse.” Dean answered. They slowly walked into the kitchen and Sam pointed to the counter where there were several dead plants. They walked a little further until Dakota noticed that there was a huge iron lock on one of the doors that was very out of place. She grabbed Sam and Dean and nodded to the door.

“Unless it’s where he keeps his porn.” Dean joked in a whisper.

Dakota glared at him as Sam opened the door and Dean rushed in, pushing himself against the wall and aiming the gun down the stairs. Dakota went in next, followed by Sam.

Down stairs, in the basement, there was a small bed set up with a few blankets on it, it was fairly cold and most of the lights were off.

“This looks very zombie like to me.” Dakota commented.

“Yeah, an empty one. You think Angela’s gone after someone?” Sam asked walking further into the room, ducking down to avoid hitting his head on pipes.

Dean walked over to the far wall and Dakota looked over to see that the screen covering one of the windows had been taken off.

“No, I think she went out to rent ‘Beaches’.” Dean sassed.

“Really, Dean, ‘Beaches’? I know you think, but even I haven’t seen that one,” Dakota joked. 

“Look smartasses, she might be out killing someone. We got to find her!” Sam said, Dakota was sure it was supposed to be menacing, but watching him scold them while ducking down to avoid hitting his head made Dakota suppress a laugh.

“Yeah. Alright, she clipped Matt because he was cheating, right? Well, it take two to, ya know, have hard-core sex.” Dean said and Dakota rolled her eyes.

“Does Angela have a roommate?” Dakota asked.

“Yeah, Lindsey. Why?” Dean asked.

“My money’s on Angela going after her roommate.” Dakota said.

They rushed back up that stairs, still trying to stay quiet and relocked the door on the way out like they were never there. Sam pulled up Lindsey and Angela’s apartment and they jumped out of the car racing to the back door and quietly sneaking in through the door. They heard yelling and objects breaking in the livingroom and they raced towards the noise and pausing in the doorway while Dean emptied two shots into Angela. She turned and glared at them before sprinting across the room and jumping out the open window, completely unaffected by the silver bullets.

“Feeding her heart to wild dogs is starting to sound less crazy.” Dakota said as Dean ran after Angela and she and Sa went to go comfort Lindsey who was crying and shaking.

“Don’t worry. We’ve got you.” Sam whispered

Dean climbed back through the window without Angela, “Damn. That dead chick can run.”

“I think we should go have a little chat with Neal.” Dakota suggested.

After calming Lindsey down the Winchesters loaded into the car and started driving.

“So, the silver bullets did something, right?” Sam asked.

“Yeah, something, but not enough. What else you got.” Dean asked.

“Okay we have, ‘nail the undead back in their grave bed’, ‘burn the corpse, and the dogs.” Sam said reading the list he had made.

“I vote nailing them in their coffin.” Dakota said holding her hand up as if they were actually voting on something.

“It’s mentioned a few times. It’s probably where the whole vampire-staking lore comes from.” Sam explained.

“Is that really what you spend your time thinking about?” Dakota asked.

“Their grave bed? You serious?” Dean asked, focusing their attention back on the case, “How the Hell are we going to get Angela back in that cemetery. 

“We could try using Neal.” Dakota suggested.

“We need to find Neal first.” Dean said.

“If he wasn’t at home, maybe he’s at the college. You said he was Dr. Mason’s T.A., right?” Sam said.

When they pulled up to the college most of the doors were unlocked and they could see a faint amount of light pouring out of the frosted window that sled to Dr. Mason’s office. Dakota opened the door and walked in going straight to the desk where Neal was grading papers.

“You know, I’ve heard of some people doing some pretty desperate stuff to get laid, but you? You take the cake.” Dean said.

“Okay, who are you guys?” Neal asked setting his pen down as all three Winchester siblings stood in front of the desk.

“You might want to ask Angela that question.” Dakota said looking around the room to see if there were any plants alive or dead. In the corner of the bookshelf there was a wilting potted plant.

“What?” Neal asked.

“We know what you did. The ritual...everything.” Sam glared at the kid.

Neal scoffed at them, “You guys are crazy.”

“Your girlfriend’s past her expiration date, and  _ we’re  _ crazy?” Dean said putting his hands on the desk, “When someone’s gone they should stay gone. You don’t mess with this kind of stuff.”

“Angela killed Matt.” Dakota said bluntly.

“She tried to kill Lindsey.” Sam continued.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Neal said shaking his head.

Dean rounded the desk and grabbed Neal by the front of his shirt, lifting him off the ground, “Hey, no more crap, Neal! This blood is on your hands! Now, the three of us, we can make it right, but you gotta tell us where she is.”

Neal looked at the ground, “My house. She’s at my house.”

“Dakota?” Sam asked.

“He’s terrified of us and he’s lying. Also, there are dead plants in the corner.” Dakota said reading Neal’s emotions.

“Are you sure she’s at your house?” Dean asked Neal who nodded and looked over his shoulder a little. Dakota followed his line of gaze to what must have been a closet door.

“You know it doesn’t really matter where she is because there’s only one way to stop her. We’ve got to perform another ritual over her grave to reverse the ritual you did. We’re gonna need some black root, some candles, it’s very complicated, but it will get the job done. She’ll be dead again in a couple of hours. And I think you should come with us.” Dean rambled slowly backing away from the closet that must have Angela in it. 

Dakota figure out where her brother was going with this and played along, “He’s right. You should leave. Now.”

“No.” Neal stuttered out, shaking his head and looking at the ground.

Sam walked over and put his hands on the desk before whispering so low that Dakota almost didn’t catch it, “Get out of here as soon as you can. No sudden movements. Don’t make her mad.”

They quickly walked out of the office and went to the car, hoping the lie would trick Angela into coming to the graveyard to try and stop the fake ritual. Once they got the the cemetery they grabbed shovels, their bag if guns, salt, and lighter fluid, and Dakota grabbed a handful of candles.

“Do you really think this is going to work?” Sam asked setting up the candles and lighting them as they hid behind the mound of dirt they had dug up last night.

“No, but it’s the only plan we got.” Dean said. 

They heard a twig snap a little ways away and Dakota crossed her fingers that it was Neal or Angela and not the cops. The boys pulled their guns out and split up while Dakota waited by the grave with the coffin lid open, ready to trap Angela. She heard yelling and two gunshots go off and pulled out her gun, staying in position, but getting ready. She saw Sam run full speed towards the grave and watched him get tackled to the ground by Angela. She grabbed his neck, but was stopped when Dakota fired two shots at the girl from the far side of the six foot hole. Angela charged her, tripping and falling into her coffin in the process and Dakota immediately threw the top down and stood on it to hold it closed.

Dean ran over with a silver sword and Dakota jumped out of the hole lifting the lid so Dean could plunge the sword into Angela, pinning her to her deathbed and Dakota watched as the girl collapsed unmoving back into the white fabric of her coffin.

……….

They spent the rest of the night refilling the grave with dirt and the sun had been up for nearly an hour by the time they finished and started slowly walking back to the car.

“You know, the whole fake ritual thing to lure Angela back to the cemetary- pretty sharp.” Sam complimented.

“Thanks.” Dean replied with a small smile.

“But, did we have to use me as bait?” Sam complained.

“Well, I figured you were more her type. She seemed to have a crappy taste in guys.” Dean teased.

Dakota noticed Sam cradling his hand and raised an eyebrow, “You okay?” 

“I think she broke my hand.” He pouted.

Dakota chuckled and Dean shook his head, “You’re just too fragile. We’ll get it looked at later.” He trailed off, looking behind them.

Dakota turned and looked and saw that their mother’s grave was in perfect line of sight.

“Do you want to stay for a while?” Sam asked.

Dean stared for a moment longer, “No.” He said before walking towards the car without looking back.

They started driving to an urgent care in the next town over when Dean pulled the Impala over on the side of a dusty road and got out, sitting on the hood. Sam looked back at Dakota who shrugged and got out as well, going to join Dean followed by Sam. They didn’t say anything, just waited for Dean to talk.

“I’m sorry.” He finally said.

“For what?” Dakota asked, genuinely confused.

“The way I’ve been acting.” He explained. It was quiet for another moment before he continued, “And for Dad. He was y’alls Dad too and it’s my fault he’s gone.” 

“What are you talking about?” Dakota asked drawing her knees up and crossing her ankles.

“I know you’ve been thinking it, so have I. It doesn’t take a genius to figure it out. Back at the hospital I had a full recovery. It was a miracle. And five minutes later, Dad’s dead and the Colt’s gone. You can’t tell me there isn’t a connection. I don’t know how the demon was involved, i don’t know how the whole thing went down exactly...but Dad’s dead ‘cause of me. And that much I do know.” Dean confessed.

“We don’t know that. Not for sure.” Sam said.

“You two and Dad...You three are the most important people in my life. And now...I never should have come back. It wasn’t natural. And now looks what has come of it. I was dead and I should have stayed dead. You two wanted to know how I was feeling, well know you now. That’s how I feel. So tell me, what could you possible say to make that alright?” He finished with tears in his eyes.


	8. Simon Said Part 1

Dakota and Dean were sitting in a booth at a run down diner in the middle on nowhere when Sam came back to their table clutching his head.

“You okay?” Dean asked.

“It happened again.” Sam said, standing next to the table. They didn't have to ask what he meant. He had had another vision.

“Let’s go.” Dakota said standing up and throwing a few bills on the table before walking out to the car.

“Don’t you think we’re overreacting just a little. Why don’t we just chill out and think about this?” Dean said after an hour of silence in the car, except for the quiet rock music playing from the radio.

She looked up her brothers as Sam glared at Dean, “What is there to think about?”

“Just don’t know if going to the Roadhouse is the smartest idea.” Dean said.

“Really?” Dakota sassed.

“Dean, it’s another premonition, I know it. This is going to happen.” Sam explained.

“Yeah, and Ash is the man with the answers. He can tell us where.” Dakota said.

“Plus, it could connection with the demon.” Sam added.

“Kota, how did you meet these people again?” Dean asked.

“Dad used to leave me there when I was in my early teens and then I crashed with them for a few months while I was looking for you.” Dakota explained and Dean nodded in understanding.

“Why were you looking for Dean?” Sam asked and Dakota waved him off.

“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you later.” She shrugged. 

“Look, my point is that there are going to be hunters there and I don’t know announcing that you two are some kind of Supernatural freaks with demonic connections is the best idea.” Dean explained

Dakota felt a pang in her chest as Dean called her and Sam freaks, “So now we’re freaks?” Sam asked.

“You two have always been freaks.” He smiled trying to play it off like he was just talking about them as siblings, but at that moment Dakota knew that Dean saw her as something other than human. Something to be feared.

……….

They pulled up to the Roadhouse later that night and the minute Dakota walked through the doors Ellen swept her up in a tight hug. Ellen and Jo pulled her over to an open table where they caught up as the boys went to grab Ash from his room.

“How’s school?” Dakota asked Jo who rolled her eyes. Dakota knew that Jo didn’t want to be in college, but Ellen was making her.

“Don’t start that again Johannah Beth. Do you know how badly this girl wanted to be in your shoes?” Ellen said pointing at Dakota who threw her hands up in surrender.

“Mom!” Jo whined and Dakota looked around for her brothers, desperately trying to find a way out of another family feud over higher education.

“I think the boys are calling me.” Dakota said, excusing herself from the conversation and quickly jogging over to where she had seen her brothers.

Ash was sitting at one of the tables with his laptop out with Sam sitting next to him while Dean grabbed some drinks from the bar. Dakota grabbed a chair and sat next to Ash.

“Hey Dr. Badass.” Dakota said, knowing that was what he liked to be called while he was “geniousing” as he called it.

“Hey kid.” He said not looking away from the computer, “I found that symbol you were looking for Sam. It’s the logo for Blue Ridge bus line in Guthrie, Oklahoma.” Ash read.

“Okay. Do me a favor, check for signs of demonic omens or around there.” Sam said.

“You think your demon is there?” Ash asked as he started typing and Dakota looked over his shoulder.

“Maybe.” She muttered.

“Why would you think that?” Ash asked as Dean walked up and set four beers on the table.

“Just check it, alright?” He said.

Ash typed for a moment before sitting back in his chair, “No, sir. No demon. No nothing.” 

“Can you do me another favor. Search Guthrie for a house fire. It would have been around 1983.” Sam said and Dakota leaned further over Ash’s shoulder.

“Nothing. Anything more specific?” Ash asked.

“The origin of the fire would have been the baby’s nursery the night of the kid’s six-month birthday.” Dakota specified.

“Okay, that is just weird, girl. Why the Hell would I be looking for that.” Ash asked.

“‘Cause there’s a PBR in it for you if you do.” She promised.

“Give me fifteen minutes.” He said turning back to the computer.

The Winchester’s sat around sipping their drinks for a while before R.E.O. Speedwagon started playing and Dean had to go start a fight with Jo over her music choice. 

“And there’s a match.” Ash said leaning across the table and grabbing the beer Dakota had promised him.

“I’ll go get Dean. Can you print this out?” Dakota asked standing up and walking towards Jo and Dean, “We gotta go.” She said. Dean nodded and started heading for the door while Dakota grabbed Jo in a hug, “I’ll call you soon. Have fun at school. Don’t give your mom too much of a hard time.” 

……….

“So what have we got?” Dean asked once they were on the road.

“Andrew Gallagher. Born in ‘83.” Sam read.

“Like us.” Dakota said leaning forward so she could talk to her brothers.

“Lost his mother in a fire when he was six months old.” Sam continued.

“Also like us.” 

“You think the demon killed his mom?” Dean asked.

“Sure looks like it.” Dakota said.

“How did you even know to look for this guy?” Dean asked.

“Every premonition I’ve had, if they're not about the demon, they’re about the other kids the demon visited. Like Max Miller, remember him?” Sam asked. Dakota remembered that vividly, it was rather hard to forget that she one time stopped a bullet using her mind.

“Yeah, but Max Miller was a basic little psycho.” Dean pointed out.

“Point is her was killing people and I was having the same type of visions about him. And now it could be happening all over again with this Gallagher guy.” Sam said.

“How do we find him?” Dean asked.

“We wait for Sam to have another vision, or we try to find the one person in town who’s emotions I can’t read.” Dakota joked.

“That might be our only option. No current address.  No current employment. He still owes money on all his bills.” Sam read off.

“Collection agency flag?” Dakota asked.

“Not in the system.” Sam said.

“What?” Dakota asked.

“They just let him take a walk?” Dean questioned.

“Seems like it.” Sam shrugged. “There’s a work address from his last W-2 about a year ago.”

“I guess we’re starting there.” Dakota said.

……….

Early the next morning Dakota was sitting in her FBI clothes in a diner with her brothers talking to the head waitress.

“You won’t get anything out of Andy. I’m sorry, but they never do.” She smiled sweetly, her voice had a thick southern accent to it and her blond hair was loose around her shoulders.

“‘They’?” Sam asked.

“You’re debt collectors aren’t you?” She asked setting the coffee pot down, “Once in awhile they come by. I don’t know what Andy says to them, but they never come back.”

“Actually we’re lawyers representing his great aunt Lita. She passed- God rest her soul- left Andy a sizeable estate.” Dean said.

“Yeah. Are you a friend of Andy’s do you know where we could find him?” Dakota asked.

“I used to be. I don’t see much of Andy anymore.” The waitress said looking down at her hands.

“Andy? Andy kicks ass man.” A server said coming up next to them and leaning on the counter.

“Is that right?” Dean asked.

“Yeah. He can get you into anything. He even got me backstage at Aerosmith once. It was beautiful.” The server said.

“I want to go backstage at an Aerosmith concert!” Dakota pouted.

“You don’t even like Aerosmith.” Dean pointed out.

“Yeah, but I wouldn’t say no to getting in backstage.” She said. 

“She gets it.” The sever said pointing at Dakota.

“That’s great. How ‘bout bussing a table or two, Webber?” The waitress said and Webber sulked off, “Look, if you want to find Andy, try Orchard Street. Just look for a van with a barbarian queen painted on the side.”

“A barbarian queen?” Dean asked and Dakota felt her face scrunch in confusion.

“She’s riding a polar bear.” The waitress shrugged.

……….

A van with a barbarian queen riding a polar bear on the side of it was not something that was hard to miss and they found it parked on Orchard Street. Unfortunately it was empty so they sat in the Impala waiting for Andy to show up.

“I’m sorry, but I’m starting to like this dude. That van is sweet.” Dean said after a minute.

“How much are you willing to bet there is shag carpet in the back?” Dakota asked.

“Oh...five bucks. Sammy, you in?” Dean asked and Dakota turned to she a look of worry on Sam’s face.

“Dude, you look like you’re sucking on a lemon. What’s wrong?” Dakota asked.

“This Andy Gallagher, he’s the second guy like this we’ve found. The demon came to them when they were kids and now they’re killing people.” Sam said.

“We don’t know what Andrew Gallagher is. He could be innocent.” Dean said.

“The demon said he has plans for me and the children like me. Maybe this is his plan. Maybe we’re all a bunch of psychic freaks!” Sam said.

“Dude, I’m an empath. You have visions. That’s not really psycho psychic killer material.” Dakota said.

“How are you handling this situation so calmly?!” Sam asked turning around in his seat.

Dakota shrugged, “Demons lie. Maybe there is no plan for us and whatever happens happens. I haven’t started losing it and trying to kill everyone yet, so I’m not gonna worry about if I might one day.” 

“Got him.” Dean said. Dakota turned and saw Andy walking out of a house and waving to a girl in the window who was wearing lingerie. She looked back at Andy who she had to admit was cute if not a little dorky, with his dark bed head, stubble, brown eyes, and a kimono on with sweats and a band tee shirt. He walked up street and stopped a man, had a short conversation, then took the man’s coffee before continuing as if nothing had happened. He walked up to someone else and shook their hand and Dakota saw Sam sit up.

“That’s him. The older guy, that’s the shooter.” Sam said.

“Okay, you two keep a watch on him. I’ll stick with Andy.” Dean instructed and they climbed out of the car before following the man as he turned down the street. They followed him all the way to the main street before he stopped and pulled out his phone, just like he had in Sam’s vision. 

“We need to bet him to the gun shop.” Sam whispered and they ran across the street before the older man even got off the phone. Dakota stood outside the store while Sam went inside and not a minute later the fire alarm went off. Sam came out and stood next to her as the man approached, saw that the store was now closed and walked away right as some college age guy on a skateboard rode by and whistled causing Dakota to roll her eyes.

“Did that guy just whistle at you? With me standing right next to you?” Sam asked in shock.

“Welcome to the wonderful world of being a woman.” Dakota responded.

“But, I’m standing right next to you! For all that guy knows I could have been your boyfriend!” Sam exclaimed.

“Would you relax. Those boys don’t break my stride, plus if I’m in the mood it will not be with some dude who is whistling ‘cause he has nothing to say.” Dakota explained as a car drove by and honked at her and she rolled her eyes, “Or who’s honking at me from his Chevrolet.” She said pointing to the car that just drove by, “Wait. That’s our Chevrolet! That’s the Impala!!” She cried and she pulled out her phone.

“Dean. What the Hell?” She asked.

“Andy got the Impala.” He pouted.

“Yeah, I just saw him drive by. Again, what the Hell happened?” She repeated.

“He just sort of asked me for it and I let him take it, okay? He full-on Obi Wan-ed me. It’s mind control.” Dean yelled and then there were screams coming from behind her. Dakota turned around and saw that the man she and Sam had been following had been hit by a bus.

“I kept out of the gun store.” Sam whispered, his face going pale and Dakota put a hand on his shoulder, “I thought he was okay. I thought he was past it.”

Dean ran up to them a few minutes later and found them sitting on the curb while police swarmed the area.

“Come on. Let’s head to the diner and try to figure out what’s going on.” Dean said pulling Dakota and Sam to their feet. 

They walked for twenty minutes before they stumbled across the diner and saw the Impala sitting unharmed in front of the store and Dakota smiled as Dean ran over to the car and practically hugged it.

“I’m sorry, Baby. I’ll never leave you again.” He promised his beloved car. Dakota looked in the front seat.

“Well, at least he left the keys in.” Dakota said.

“Yeah, real Samaritan, this guy.” Dean grumbled, “Looks like he can’t work his mojo just by twitching his nose. He’s got to use verbal commands.” 

“The doctor had just gotten off his phone when he stepped in front of that bus.” Sam recalled and Dakota remembered someone at the scene saying the man had been a doctor of sorts, “Andy must have called him or something.”

“I just don’t know that he’s our guy.” Dean said.

“You had O.J. convicted before he even stepped out of his Bronco, and you have doubts about this?” Sam asked fixing Dean with a glare. 

“I agree that he doesn’t seem like the stone-cold killer type, but he must be connected.” Dakota said.

“And for the record, O. J. was guilty!” Dean snapped.

“Either way, how are we going to track this guy down?” Sam asked.

Dean smirked then walked away, leaving Dakota and Sam to jog to catch up with him.


	9. Simon Said Part 2

Part 9: Simon Said Part 2

Dean led them to the warrior-princess-polar bear van that was parked a few blocks away. Dakota walked around to the back and knocked on the doors then waited for them to open, but they never did.

“Let’s have a look.” Dean said pulling out a pry bar and shoving it under the doors to pop them open. The doors swung open and Dakota laughed at what she saw. They were blankets all over the back of the car, with a disco ball hanging from the roof and a large portrait of a tiger hanging on one wall of the van. There was a lingering smell of alcohol and weed coming from the car.

“I love it.” Dakota smiled.

“This is magnificent. That’s what this is.” Dean grinned and Dakota saw Sam roll his eyes.

“It’s pretty bitchin’, but it’s not a serial killer lair.” Dakota pointed out.

“Maybe a lady killer lair.” Dean joked.

“Okay, seriously, y’all suck!” Sam complained as he reached into the van and picked up a few novels lying on the ground, “Hegel? Kant? Wittgenstein? That’s some pretty damn heavy reading.” 

“So, he has a cool van and has great taste in classic literature.” Dakota summarized.

“I’m more interested in the Moby Dick bong.” Dean said pulling a three foot long bong out of the car. “I’m starting to like this guy.” 

Dakota thought she might be starting to like him too.

……….

They were staked out in the Impala waiting for Andy to come back to his van, eating one of the most disgusting burgers Dakota had ever had the misfortune of consuming.

Dean threw his burger down and sighed, “You know, one day I’d love to just sit down and eat something that I didn't have to microwave at a minimart.”

“Hell, I’d settle for it not being completely soaked in grease.” Dakota said abandoning her burger.

“What I don’t get is the motive.” Sam mumbled from the front seat.

“...The motive for not wanting to eat crappy food, or have we switched back to the Andy thing?” Dakota asked.

“Andy. The doctor was squeaky clean. Why would Andy waste him?” Sam asked.

“If it is Andy.” Dean said and Dakota nodded.

“The doctor was mind-controlled in front of a bus. Andy just happens to have the power of mind control.” Sam argued.

“I don’t know, he just doesn’t strike me as a killer and where’s the motive?” Dakota pointed out.

“How the Hell would you know? Why are you two bending over backwards to defned him?” Sam snapped.

Dean was quiet for a moment, “Because I don’t think you are right about this.” 

Whatever he was going to stay next  was interrupted by Andy bending down next to her open window.

“Hey! You think I haven’t seen you three following me?” He snapped.

Dakota opened her mouth to say something, but ended up just staring at him, “Um…”

“Well, we’re lawyers. A relative of yours has…” Sam started.

“ _ Tell the truth! _ ” Andy snapped.

“That was the truth.” Dakota said said shaking herself out of her daze.

“We hunt demons.” Dean confessed without batting an eye. “Demons and spirits.”

“Dude!” Sam exclaimed.

“ Things your nightmares wouldn’t even touch. Sam’s my brother and Dakota is my sister.”

“Oh my God stop talking!” Dakota said putting her hand in her hands.

“I’m trying.” Dean apologized, “They’re both psychic like you. Well, not really like you. Sam thinks you’re a murderer and I think Dakota thinks you’re cute. Anyways, Sam’s afraid he’s afraid he’s going to become a murderer too because you’re all part of something that’s terrible. And I hope to Hell he’s wrong, but I’m starting to get scared dhe might be right.”

“Dean!” Sam and Dakota snapped.

“Okay. Stop talking! Just  _ leave me alone _ !” Andy said before standing up and walking away.

Dakota and Sam got out of the car and started following Andy, while Dean stayed rooted to his seat, “What are you doing? I said,  _ leave me alone _ .”

“No.” Dakota said crossing her arms and continuing to walk towards Andy.

“ _ Get in you car, start driving, and never stop _ . Please.” Andy said.

“It doesn’t seem to work on us Ady.” Sam said. Dakota heard the car door open and close and heard the sound of footsteps approaching.

“You can make people do things, can’t you? You can tell them what to think.” Sam said and Dakota held up a hand to stop Dean from coming closer.

“That’s crazy!” Andy gave a humorless laugh.

“This all started a year ago, didn’t it? Right after your 22 birthday?” Dakota asked.

“It was little stuff at first, then you got better at controlling it.” Sam continued.

“How the Hell do you know all this?” Andy asked putting his hands on his head.

Dakota took a step closer to him, “‘Cause the same thing happened to us, Andy. Our mom died in a fire, too. We have X-Men powers, too.”

Andy cracked a little smile, “‘X-Men powers’?”

“Shut up.” Dakota mumbled, blushing.

“Did you tell the doctor to walk in front of the bus?” Sam asked before closing his eyes and  scrunched his face.

“Wow, he is okay?” Andy asked as Dean ran up and grabbed Sam’s shoulders.

“He’s having a vision.” Dakota explained as Sam started falling and Dean lowered him to the ground.

“A woman. A woman burning alive.” Sam said.

“Did you get anything else?” Dean asked still kneeling next to Sam.

“She’s at a gas station. A woman is going to kill herself.” Sam explained, his eyes still shut tight.

“What does he mean ‘going to’?” Andy asked.  
“Shut up!” Dean snapped.

“Sam’s visions are of the future.” Dakota explained.

“She gets triggered by a call on her cellphone.” Sam continued.

“When?” Dakota asked.

“I don’t know.” Sam said.

“Well, as long as we don’t keep our eyes off this son of a bitch, he can’t hurt her.” Dean said.

“Hey! I didn’t hurt anyone!” Andy said.

“Okay guys…” Dakota started, but she was cut off by a fire truck and ambulance driving down the street with sirens blazing. 

“Dean, go. Kota and I’ll wait with Andy.” Sam said.

Dakota sat down on the ground and Andy sat next to her while Sam paced the parking lot they were in.

“I don’t know that I ever caught your name.” Andy said.

Dakota smiled a little and looked down at her hands in her lap, “Dakota Winchester. But, you can call me Kota.”

“Your last name is Winchester? Wow, you must be a real pistol.” Andy said blushing slightly.

Dakota smirked, “Winchester makes rifles, but since your attempt and flirting is cute I will allow you to continue.” Dakota said.

“Oh well, thank you, my lady.” Andy said giving an overly dramatic bow and Dakota laughed.

A few minutes later Andy and Dakota were in a deep and dramatic conversation about which Harry Potter book was the best when Sam jogged back over to them.

“She’s dead. The woman from the gas station. Just a few minutes ago.” Sam said.

“But you just had the vision.” Dakota pointed out.

“I can’t control them.” Sam argued.

“Can someone explain this vision thing to me?” Andy asked.

……….

“You get premonitions about people about to die? That’s impossible.” Andy said after Dakota and Sam explained everything.

“You have the power of  mind control. I think a lot of people would say that was impossible.” Dakota said.

“Death visions. Dude, that sucks.” Andy shakes his head. “When I got my mind thing, it was like a gift. It was like I won the lotto.”

“But you still live in a van.” Sam pointed out.

“I like the van.” Dakota said and Andy bumped his shoulder with hers. 

“But you could have anything you ever wanted.” 

“Yeah, but I’ve got everything I need.” Andy smiled. Dakota smiled, she loved that kind of ideology. 

“So, you’re really not a killer.” Sam said.

Andy laughed, “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.” 

“That’s good.” Sam said.

“Yeah, it means there’s hope for our asses after all.” Dakota smiled.

The low rumble of the Impala sounded and Dakota turned to see their car pulling  up. Dean stepped out of the car and walked up to them.

“The victim's name is Holly Beckett. 41. Single.” Dean said.

“Who is she?” Sam asked.

“Never heard of her.” Andy shrugged.

“I called Ash on the way over here. He came up with a little something. Apparently Holly Beckett gave birth when she was 18 years old, back in 1983, the same day you were born Andy.” Dean explained.

“Were you adopted?” Dakota asked Andy.

“Yeah, why?” Andy asked.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Dea asked.

“It never came up. I never knew my birth parents, and like you said, my adopted mom died when I was six months old.” Andy said. “Do you think this Holly woman could be my mom?”

“I don’t know. Tried to get a copy of the birth certificate, but they’re sealed by the county office.” Dean said.

“Well screw that.” Andy smirked.

……….

“I probably shouldn’t have let you kids in here.” The clerk from the county office said as he let them into the record room after very little “convincing” from Andy.

“No.  _ It’ll all be fine _ , alright. Go grab a cup of coffee.” Andy promised as Dakota walked over to one of the bookshelves and grabbed a box of files as the man left the room, “These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.” Andy said in his best Obiwan impression and Dakota burst out laughing.

“Awesome.” Dean smiled.

“I can’t believe you said that.” Dakota said breathlessly.

“I can’t believe you laughed at that!” Andy laughed along.

“I can’t believe what lovesick puppies you two are.” Sam said as they walked over to one of the tables.

Dakota took the top off of the box and they started looking through it until Sam stopped them.

“Guys. I found it. Andy, Holly Beckett was your birth mother.” Sam said.

“Wow...does anyone have a Vicodin?” Andy asked.

Dakota pick up a paper and skimmed it, “Dr. Jennings was her doctor, too. He oversaw the adoption.”

“Andy, you have a solid connection to both of them.” Sam said.

“Yeah, but I didn’t kill them.” Andy said.

“We believe you.” Dean promised.

“But, who did?” Andy asked.

“I think I got a pretty good guess.” Sam said.

“Really? ‘Cause I got nothing.” Dakota said.

“Yeah, well, the birth records show that Holly Beckett gave birth to twins.” Sam said.

Andy sat back in his chair, “...I have an evil twin.”

“So do I. It’s not that bad.” Sam said.

“You wanna know what, jackass.” Dakota snapped.

“Holly put you and your brother up for adoption and you went to the Gallagher family and your brother went to the Weems family upstate.” Sam read.

“Andy? How you doing? You still with us?” Dean asked and Dakota leaned over and put her hand on top of Andy’s.

“Um...What’s my brother’s name?” He asked.

“Ansem Weems.” Sam answered. “He’s got a local address.”

“He lives here?” Andy asked breathlessly.

“Let’s get a look at him. Got his picture coming over from the DMV now.” Dean said standing over the printer. Dean stared at the paper in his hand and slowly walked towards the table, “Hate to kick you while you’re freaked. Take a look at that.” 

Andy grabbed the paper and Dakota looked over his shoulder at it, “Isn’t that the waiter from the diner?”

……….

They all loaded up into the Impala and drove full speed towards the diner.

“So, what do you know about this Webber guy?” Dakota asked.

“I don’t know much. Webber shows up one day eight months ago, acting like he was my best friend in the world. He’s kinda weird, like trying too hard, ya know?” Andy said.

“He must have known you two were twins.” Dean said.

“Yeah, but why change his name? Why not tell you the truth?” Dakota asked.

Sam threw his head back dramatically and groaned. 

“Sam?” Dean and Dakota asked.

“Dean stop the car!” Dakota commanded and Dean pulled over and raced to Sam’s side of the car with Dakota and Andy behind him. Dakota knelt down in front of Sam as soon as the door was open.

“What did you see?” Dakota asked putting her hands on his shoulder.

“A dam, Webber, the woman from the diner.” Sam said.

Andy directed them in the direction of the dam and Sam quickly recognized the stretch he had seen in his vision. They pulled the Impala over in a wooded area and climbed out. Dakota watched Andy get out of the backseat, then looked over at Dean who was opening the trunk.

“Hey, Dean? Maybe you should wait here.” She suggested.

“Fine by me. I’ve had my head screwed with enough today.” Dean said handing out some hand guns.

“I’m coming with you guys. That’s Tracy out there, and I’m coming.” Andy said standing his ground. Dean nodded and handed him a gun.

“Do you know how to use that?” Dakota asked.

“No, but you do. So I’m trusting you to do the actual work while I stand there and look cool while holding a gun.” He smiled weakly.

“Okay, let’s do this.” Sam said.

They walked quickly towards the dam, Dakota giving Andy a quick lesson on how not to kill them by accidentally firing until they came across a car.

“That’s Tracy’s car.” Andy whispered.

Dakota and Sam nodded at each other and rounded either side of the car, using the butt of their guns to slam on the front windows, shattering them. Dakota was on the passenger’s side and immediately looked in and saw that Tracy wasn’t cut by any glass, but she was by no means okay if her tears and half unbuttoned dress were any indication. Andy ran up next to Dakota and pulled Tracy out of the car, giving her a quick hug before Dakota grabbed him and dragged him to where Sam had Webber pinned on the ground. She slapped a piece of duct tape over his mouth while Sam sat on his chest and Andy on his legs.

“I swear to God I will kill you!” Andy yelled at his twin before lunging forward and Sam grabbed him and dragged him off of Webber, leaving Dakota holding him down.

Unfortunately, Dakota was small and skinny and Webber almost instantly flipped her off of him. She hit her head hard on the ground and twisted her knee falling. She laid on the ground holding her head before rolling over and seeing Sam holding his head, probably because Tracy was swinging a tree branch at him.

“How did you do that?” Dakota asked out loud when she realized that Webber was still controlling Tracy.

“Practice makes perfect.” Webber smirked and turned to Andy, “Sometimes you don’t even need to use words. Sometimes all you need is your mind. The headache is almost worth it.” 

“You sick twisted son of a bitch!” Andy screamed lunging for his brother.

“Andy stop!” Dakota yelled as she climbed back onto her feet, still holding the back of her head.

“You don’t want to do this Andy, otherwise Tracy’s gonna do a little flying.” Webber threatened as the brothers locked their hands around each other’s neck. Dakota looked and saw that Tracy was standing on the edge of the dam and she started rushing towards her as fast as she could on an injured knee.

“I won’t do that if I were you.” Webber threatened and Dakota stopped and turned back to look at them.

“Okay, okay. Just...please don’t hurt her.” Andy said releasing Webber and taking a step back.

“Don’t be mad at me, okay? I know. It’s all wrong. I didn’t mean for this to happen. It’s just that Tracy was coming between us. I’m your best friend, not her!” Webber snapped.

“You’re insane.” Andy whispered.

“She’s garbage! Man, they all are! We can push them. We can make them do whatever they want!” Webber declared.

“You’re out of your mind!” Dakota said taking a step closer to Andy.

“Are you really this stupid?” Is it-you learn you’ve got a twin, you call him up, you go out for a drink. You don’t start killing people!” Andy argued. Dakota turned around and looked at her own twin,  Sam was still on the ground from being hit with a branch, but was slowly getting into a sitting position.

“I wanted to tell you for so long, bro, but...he didn’t let me. He said I had to wait until the time was…” Webber started.

“Wait. Who’s ‘he’?” Dakota asked.

“The man with the yellow eyes.” Webber said as though that was a completely normal thing while Dakota felt her stomach turn and her ears start ringing.

“What are you talking about?” Andy asked.

“You don’t want to know.” Dakota promised, but Webber spoke over her.

“He came to me in my dream. Said I was special. He said he had big plans for me.” He said.

“And all the children like you, right?” Dakota asked and Webber nodded before he turned back to talking to Andy. Dakota looked over her shoulder at Sam who nodded that he had heard the whole thing.

Dakota felt emotions all of a sudden outside of hers and Tracy’s. She looked into the treeline at the same time as Webber, who apparently could sense Dean as well.

“ _ Bye-Bye _ .” Webber commanded.

“No!” Dakota and Sam yelled as a gunshot went off.

Dakota watched Webber drop to the ground then looked over at Andy who’s hands were shaking, still holding the gun.

……….

The sun was rising as the police and ambulance showed up, Andy quickly “telling” them what had happened. Dakota sat against the side of the dam with an ice pack on her knee the paramedics had insisted on giving her while Sam had one for his head. Andy came and sat down next to her and her brothers.

“Look at you. You’re getting pretty good a t that.” She smiled.

“She won’t even look at me.” He whispered looking at his feet. Dakota looked over to the ambulance Tracy was sitting in, getting treated.

“She’s pretty shaken up.” Dakota pointed out.

“No, this is different. I’ve never used my mind thing on her before last night. She’s scared of me now.” Andy said and Dakota noticed a shadow crossing over them.

“Hey, I hate to do this, but we got to get out of here.” Dean said above them.

“Okay.” Dakota pouted.

“Kota, why don’t I give you my number. I’m new to this whole mind thing, maybe we could help each other out over drinks sometime.” He said and Dakota smiled and blushed before handing over her phone. He quickly typed it in and handed it back to her, smiling as widely as she was before grabbing her in a hug.

“That’s enough. Break it up.” Dean said, physically grabbing Dakota by the back of her flannel and pulling her up, Andy following in suit. She turned to look at him and placed a quick kiss on his lips before turning and following her brothers to the car.

“Andy and Kota sittin in a tree…” Sam sang and Dakota punched his arm, “And for the record, I was right. Andy is a killer after all.”

“Yeah, and you’re a freakin’ mood killer.” Dakota glowered.

“Sam, get over yourself. Andy just saved our asses.” Dean said.

“Bottom line, last night he waste someone.” Sam said.

“We waste people all the time.” Dakota said.

“He’s not a foaming at the mouth psycho.” Dean said.

“Sam, what do you want us to say. You’re trying really hard for us to say ‘yes, you’re destined to be a killer’, but I don’t know why. You are fine. We are fine. Let this go, for the sake of my sanity.” Dakota begged.

“Dean is scared of us!” Sam argued as they reached the Impala.

“As he should be. We could easily kick his ass.” Dakota said opening the door, but not getting in yet.

“That was mind control! That’s like being roofied, it doesn’t count.” Dean argued. “I’m calling a do-over.”

“What are you, seven?” Sam asked.

“Doesn’t matter, we just keep doing what we’re doing, find that evil son of a bitch and kill it.” Dean said as Dakota’s phone started ringing.

“Hey Aunt Ellen, what’s up?” She asked once she answered.

“Something’s wrong. You need to get here.” She said sharply.

“Okay. We’re leaving right now.” Dakota promised.

……….

They made it to the Roadhouse in record time and rushed inside to find the place completely empty except for Ellen. They sat down at the bar and she handed them three beers.

“So, you want to tell me about this last hunt of yours?” She asked putting her hands on her hips.

“Um...I thought Kota said something was wrong and we needed to get here as soon as possible?” Dean asked and Ellen shut him up with a look.

“It’s kind of a family thing.” Sam vaguely explained..

“Not any more.” Ellen said pulling a huge stack of paper from under the bar and dropping it in front of them, “I got this stuff from Ash. Andrew Gallagher’s house burned down on his six month birthday. Just like your house. You think it was the demon both times, don’t you?” Ellen asked. All three Winchesters remained silent, “Dakota, no lies, no half-truths. Something big is coming and it’s not your war, it’s a war and all we have are us, together.”

“There are people out there, like Andy...like Sam and me, and...we all have some kind of ability. A psychic ability. Sam has visions, like premonitions, and I’m an empathy so I can feel people’s emotions. Andy has mind control and there was this kid, Max, who was a telekinesis. The demon said he had plans for us and the children like us.” Dakota explained.

“What kind of plan?” Ellen asked.

“We don’t know.” Sam said.

“And these other psychics, are they dangerous?” Ellen asked and Dakota dropped her head in her hands and groaned.

“No!” Dean said violently.

“Not all of them.” Sam argued.

“How many are there?” Ellen asked.

“We’ve been able to track a clear pattern so far. They’ve all had house fires the night of the kids six month birthday.” Dean said.

“That’s not true.” Sam muttered.

“What?” Dakota and Dean asked.

“Webber or Ansem Weems or whatever- I looked at his file, there was no house fire.” Sam explained.

“Correction: We have no clear pattern, no way to find them, no idea where the demon is or the Cult, and we don’t know why we have abilities.” Dakota groaned.

“So, if  there are any others like him, there would be nothing in the system, no way to track them all down.” Ellen summarized.

“And so , who knows how many of them are really out there.” Dean said.

“Jo, honey. Why don’t you break out the whiskey.” Ellen called out.


	10. No Exit Part 1

Dakota was sitting on the hood of the Impala outside of the Roadhouse while her brothers packed up the trunk.

“So, what’s in L.A.?” Dakota asked, referring to the case Dean was looking into.

“A young girl’s been kidnapped by an evil cult.” Dean said.

“Yeah? Girl got a name?” Sam asked.

“Katie Holmes.” Dean said as he closed the trunk and walked towards the driver's door.

Dakota jumped off the hood, “You’re hilarious. Truly.” She said.

“That’s funny, and, for you, so bitchy.” Sam said.

Dakota perked up all of a sudden as she felt a cloud of anger coming on, “Uh oh.” She whispered.

“I’m going.” She heard Jo yelling from inside the Roadhouse.

“Over my dead body!” Ellen responded.

“What’s all that?” Dean asked, but Dakota didn’t answer, just started walking to the bar.

Dakota walked in as Ellen yelled, “I am your mother! I don’t have to be reasonable!”

Ellen and Jo were standing on the raised platform the housed the pool tables. In true Ellen fashion she was still clearing tables and picking things up as they fought.  
“You can’t keep me here!” Jo stamped her foot.

“Don’t you bet on that, sweetie!” Ellen snapped.

“You gonna keep me chained in the basement?” Jo sassed.

“You don’t want to stay, fine, don't-go back to school,” Ellen said. Dakota pinched the bridge of her nose, they had been fighting over Jo dropping out of college all weekend.

“I don’t belong there! I was the freak with the knife collection!” Jo argued. Dakota walked over to a table and sat down.

“Getting yourself killed on some dusty back road-  _ that’s _ where you belong!?” Ellen snapped then turned to the three Winchesters, “Bad time!”

“Yes ma’am.” Sam responded immediately.

“We rarely drink before ten anyways.” Dean said.

“I want to know what you think about this.” Jo said walking over to them.

“I don’t think we want to get involved.” Dean said.

“Trust me, you don’t.” Dakota agreed.

The wall phone started ringing and Ellen and Jo stared at it, as though willing it to catch on fire.

“Jo wants to start hunting and dropped out of school.” Dakota whispered to her brothers.

Ellen finally gave in and went to grab the still ringing phone and Jo grabbed a file off the bar counter.

“Three week ago, a young girl disappeared from an apartment in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.” She said holding the file out for Dean, who just looked at it, “Take it. It won’t bite.”

“But your mom might.” Dean argued. Dakota reached up from her seat and grabbed the file.

“She wasn’t the first. Over the past 80 years six women have vanished. All from the same building, all young blonds.” Jo explained as Dakota flipped through the file of police reports and maps, “It happens every decade or two, so the cops never eyeball the pattern. So we’re either dealing with one very old serial killer…”

“Who put this together? Ash?” Dean asked and Dakota looked over to see her brothers reading over her shoulders.

“I did it myself.” Jo stated standing up straighter.

“Pretty good.” Dakota muttered.

“I’ve got to admit, we’ve hit the road for a lot less.” Sam pointed out.

“Good. If you like the case so much,  _ you _ take it.” Ellen said walking over to them.

“Mom!” Jo whined.

“Joanna Beth, this family has lost enough. I will not lose you too. I just won’t.” Ellen said calmly. 

……….

Several hours later they pulled up to the apartment building and Dakota went to talk to the supervisor about letting them tour the place, which he gladly agreed to. He let them into the apartment then went back down stairs to front desk, telling them to head back down when they were done.

“I feel kinda bad, snaking Jo’s case.” Sam confessed as they walked into the livingroom.

“Don’t feel too bad, Sammy, they have been having that fight for years now.” Dakota said as she pulled out her EMF detector. 

“Well, maybe she put together a good file, but could you see her out here working on of these?” Dean asked.

“She’d be a great hunter, but Ellen’s never going to let her.” Dakota said.

“You two getting anything?” Dean asked.

“No, not yet.” Sam said, then a moment later, “What is that?” 

Dakota turned and saw that Sam was staring at the wall, she walked over to where he was standing and saw that he was studying the lightswitch.

Sam reached forward and swiped his finger across the light and came away with black goo.

Dean followed in suit, “It’s ectoplasm. Well, I think I know what we’re with. It’s the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man.”

“Who ya gonna call?” Dakota sang.

“Can you two please take this seriously? I’ve only seen this stuff like twice.” Sam commented.

“Well, you have to be one major pissed out spirit to make this stuff.” Dakota pointed out.

“Let’s find this badass before he snags anymore girls.” Dean said.

They walked out of the apartment and started making their way down the hallway when they heard the supervisor's voice.

“It’s a great building.” He said.

“Yeah, I love the furnishing.” A familiar voice said and Dakota’s eyes widened.

She rounded the corner s fast as she could and saw Jo walking towards them, talking to the supervisor.

“Ah, Miss. Moore. You didn’t tell me your roommate was stopping by as well.” He said smiling at Dakota.

“Yeah, well, that’s Dakota for you. She’s such a scatter brain sometimes.” Jo laughed and Dakota glared, “Did you guys already see that place?”

“Yeah, it was great. The boys seemed to like it too.” Dakota grumbled crossing her arms.

“If your brothers approve, it must be good. We’ll take it.” Jo said pulling out a wad of cash and shoving it at the supervisor. 

……….

All four hunters sat in awkward silence in the livingroom, no one willing to start the conversation.

“...So who wants the couch tonight?” Dakota finally asked.

“Does your mother know you’re here.” Dean asked turning to look at Jo.

“I told her Dakota and I were going on a girl’s trip to Vegas.” Jo shrugged.

“Two things. One, why did you have to drag me into this? And two, do you really think she bought that?” Dakota asked.

“I got Ash to lay a credit-card trail all the way to the casinos.” Jo explained.

“Well then let’s wrap up here and have a girls’ weekend in Vegas!” Dakota said.

“You shouldn’t lie to your mom. And you shouldn’t be here.” Dean scowlded. 

“Well, I am, so untwist your boxers and deal with it.” Jo said.

“Where did you get all that money from anyways?” Sam asked.

“Working at the Roadhouse.” Jo explained.

“Hunters don’t tip that well.” Dean said.

“Yeah, they don’t play poker that well either.” Dakota said, “I mean, that’s how I get all my money.”

“What money?” Sam and Dean asked.

“The money I have hidden away for emergencies.” She elaborated.

Dakota’s phone started ringing and she grimaced as she saw that it was Ellen.

“Hi Aunt Ellen!” She answered cheerfully.

“Is she with you?” Ellen snapped, “She left a note saying you two were going to Vegas and I don’t believe it for a moment.”

“We are heading there right now. The boys think they caught wind of an unrelated demon case in California so they are dropping us off on the way. We’re at a gas station in the middle of nowhere right now.” Dakota lied.

“Okay, thanks hon.” Ellen said before hanging up.

Dakota turned and glared at Jo, “I hate you.”

“I know.” Jo teased, “Now, let’s talk the case.” 

Dean walked over to their bags and grabbed the file Ellen had given them earlier and started unfolding the papers on the kitchen table they were sitting around. Jo sat down and grabbed the knife she kept with her at all times and began twirling it between her fingers as she went over the facts.

“The place was built in 1924. It was originally a warehouse, converted to apartments a few months ago.

“What was here before 1924?” Dean asked.

“Nothing. Just an empty field.” Jo answered.

“So, most likely scenario, someone died bloody in the building and now he’s back and raising Hell.” Sam said.

“I already checked, in the past 82 years zero violent deaths.” Jo explained, “Unless you count a janitor who slipped on a wet floor. Would you please sit down?” She snapped at Dean.

“Have you checked the police reports, county death records?” Dean asked as he sat down.

“Obituaries, mortuary reports, and seven other sources. I know what I’m doing.” Jo continued.

“The jury’s still out on that one.” Dean sassed, “Would you stop messing with that knife?” Jo slammed it down on the table.

“How far back did you look? I mean, Pennsylvania is an old state, maybe something went down in that empty field.” Dakota pointed out.

“It could be a cursed object. We would have to scan the whole building.” Sam said.

“Great. Jo and I will take the top two floors, you two take the bottom.” Dean said.

“Why not just each take a floor? It’s faster if we split up.” Dakota said.

“Because  this guy is after young blonds who live in this apartment, so maybe the two young blondes living in this apartment shouldn’t go off on their own.” Sam said.

“Everyone gear up. We’re out in five.” Dean said.

Dakota walked up behind Jo, grabbed her arm, and dragged her into one of the bedrooms.

“What are you doing?” Jo asked.

“I’m going to give you a big-sister-little-sister talk full of advice that you are going to ignore, but I won’t feel guilty because I have given you this knowledge.” Dakota said sitting down on the bed and patting the seat next to her. Jo rolled her eyes, but sat down anyways, “Jo, I don’t care that you want to hunt. Your mom hunts, your dad was a hunter, and you’re eighteen with money so you can do whatever the Hell you want. But, you shouldn’t go behind your mom’s back to do it. And you should never just leave in the middle of the night with nothing more than a note. That’s what I did when I left my dad and came to stay with y’all and I didn’t see him again for almost two years. I never even got to apologize. If you want to stay out on the road, stay out on the road, but call home and visit every once in awhile; your mom wants what’s best for you and if that means letting you go then you have to tell her.” Dakota said wrapping her arm around Jo’s shoulders.

“...Can we be done now?” Jo asked.

“Yep. That’s all I got. Let’s kill this sicko and go to Vegas.” Dakota said.

“You know I didn’t plan on us actually going?” Jo admitted.

“Yes, but now you’ve talked me into this so you and I are going to get drinks by the pool while the guys go do something else.” Dakota said opening the bedroom door and motioning for Jo to head back into the livingroom where Sam and Dean were waiting with their EMF readers.

……….

The next morning after a semi-successful search, Jo and Dean found a chunk of bloody blond hair and Dakota and Sam found EMF everywhere on the ground floor, Dakota woke up from sleeping on the tiny reading chair and looked around the room. She saw Dean and Sam still curled up ridiculously small on the two couches framing the sofa that Jo was currently sleeping on. Dakota sat up and popped her shoulder and back, then stood up and quickly went and got dressed in ripped jeans and a baggy sweater then fishtailed her long blond hair before grabbing Dean wallet and walking to the coffee shop down the street. 

On her way back to the apartment building, arms ladened with coffee and pastries she sent a few texts to Andy letting him know what she was up to and inviting him on a possible weekend trip because, Jo or no Jo, now her heart was set on going to Vegas.

The moment she opened the door, Dean grabbed her and pulled her into a hug, nearly knocking over all the drinks in her hand.

“Whoa! Careful!” Dakota said, untangling herself.

“Where the Hell have you been!? We’re working a case where some sick son of a bitch abducts young blonds and you think you can just leave before any of us are awake!” Dean shouted.

Dakota looked down at the bag of pastries in her hand and held it out to him, “I got you a bear claw, De.” She said sweetly.

Dean looked at the bag, “If one of those drinks is a black coffee I might forgive you.

Sam groaned and sat up, “Ugh! Hey Jo, how did you sleep on that nice big sofa?”

“I only went to sleep at four. I’ve been going over everything.” She said and Dakota turned to see Jo at the kitchen table going through all the papers and spinning her knife.

Dean grabbed his bag from off the ground and started fishing through it until he pulled out a machete and handed it to Jo.

“Here, this will work a lot better than that pigstick you’ve been twirling around.” Dean said.

Dakota groaned and dropped down on the couch next to Sam who grabbed a drink from her, “The knife’s important isn’t it?” He whispered.

“It’s her dad’s. William Arthur Harvelle. He died on a hunting trip when she was a kid.” Dakota answered quietly as she turned to see Jo explaining that to Dean and giving him back the bigger knife.

Sam stood up and walked over to the window and Dakota saw him tense up.

“Sam?” She asked.

“There are cops outside.” He answered.

“Did another girl go missing?” Dakota asked.


	11. No Exit: Part 2

“Theresa Ellis, apartment 2F. Her boyfriend reported her missing around dawn.” Dean said walking into the livingroom where Sam, Jo, and Dakota were spread out on the floor looking through the information Jo had collected, again.

“How was her apartment?” Jo asked.

“Cracks all in the plaster-ceilings, walls, all of it.” Dean answered.

“Between that, the ectoplasm, and chunk of hair, I’d say the sucker’s coming from the walls.” Dakota said.

“Yeah, but who is it? The building’s history is totally clean.” Dean said.

“Maybe we’re looking in the wrong place.” Jo guessed. “Check this out.” She said handing them a photo.

“It’s the field where the building was built.” Dakota pointed out.

“Take a look at the one next door.” She smirked.

Sam leaned in closer to the paper, “Bars on the windows.” 

“We’re next door to a prison?” Dean asked.

……….

Jo stepped out of the room to call Ash and get some information, leaving the three Winchesters to flip through the papers. Jo came back into the room a few minutes later with a spring in her step.

“Moyamensing Prison. Built in 1835, torn down in 1963.” Jo explained.

“Let me guess, 1835, executions in the field?” Dakota guessed.

“Hangings.” Jo confirmed.

“Alright, we need a list of all the people executed in that field.” Sam said.

“Ash is already on it.” Jo said.

Half an hour later, Ash sent them the list and they started looking through it on Sam’s laptop.

“157 names?” Dakota asked in shock.

“We gotta narrow that down or else we’re gonna be digging up a Hell of a lot of stiffs” Dean said.

Sam continued scrolling through then stopped on one name, Herman Webster Mudgett.

“Wasn’t that H. H. Holmes’ real name?” Sam asked.

Dakota sighed and dropped her head.

“You gotta be kidding me.” Dean said.

Sam switched to a new screen and quickly searched it, “Yep. Holmes was executed at Moyamensing May 7, 1896.” He read.

“H. H. Holmes himself.” Dean whispered to himself.

“Come on. I mean, what are the odds?” Dakota asked.

“Who is this guy?” Jo asked.

“The term, ‘multi-murderer’-they coined it to describe Holmes. He was America’s first serial killer before anyone knew what a serial killer was.” Dean explained.

“He confessed to 27 murders, but some put the toll at over 100.” Sam added.

“And his victim flavor of choice, pretty, petite blonds.” Dakota continued.

“He used chloroform to kill them, which is what I smelled in the hallway last night.” Dean said.

“At his house they found bone fragments, and long locks of bloody blond hair.” Sam said.

“So, we just salt and burn the bones, right?” Jo asked.

“That’s the problem. His body is buried in town, but it’s encased in a couple tons of concert.” Dakota explained.

“What? Why?” Jo asked.

“The story goes, he didn’t want anyone mutilating his corpse, ‘cause, you know, it’s what he used to do.” Dean said.                 

“You know something? We might have an even bigger problem than that.” Sam said standing up and leaning over the papers.

“Why? Just, why?” Dakota sighed.

“Holmes build an apartment building in Chicago. They called it Murder Castle. The whole place was a death factory. They had trap doors, acid vats, quicklime pits. He built these secret chambers, inside the walls and kept them locked in there for days so they’d suffocate. Others, he’d let starve to death.”

“So, Theresa might still be alive. She could be in  _ these _ walls.” Jo said.

“We need sledgehammers, crowbars.” Dean listed. “We need to smash all these walls, anywhere thick enough to hide a girl.”

With that Jo and Dean walked out the door, presumably to get supplies.

“Am I the only one who sees a problem with randomly smashing walls in an apartment complex?” Sam asked.

“No, I see the problem here, too.” Dakota nodded. Taking a sip of her now cold coffee.

……….

Sam and Dakota went to check the Southeast wall on Teresa's floor. Luckily, because of the cracks everywhere in her apartment it was fairly easy to knock a part of the hallway wall down. The space was claustrophobically small, Dakota had to turn sideways to shuffle through with her flashlight in front of her and her EMF reading in her other hand.

They came across a section of piping in the wall that took up half the space and Dakota sighed, “Do we turn back?” She asked.

“I guess.” Sam said and he pulled out his phone to text Dean and Jo.

Dakota judged the small space in front of them, “I can fit through there.” 

“What? Are you crazy? You are not going into the walls alone with a serial killer who likes tiny blonds on the loose!” Sam scolded.

“You got a better idea?” She sassed.

As she squeezed through the small space, Sam pulled out a make of the building they had found. Dakota walked along the narrow walkway and turned a corner, cautiously stepping over more piping.

“Where are you now?” Sam called.

“By the south wall.” She answered.

She came to a dead end at the end of the walkway and went to turn back, until she saw a hole in the floor that she could fit through. Realizing she was too far to yell to Sam she pulled out the walkie talkie Dean had given them.

“I found some sort of air duct. I’m going down.” She told him.

“No. No. Stay up here.” Sam instructed.

“We have to find this girl and you can’t fit through her, so I’m going.” She replied.

Sam sighed over the walkie, “Okay, I’m heading to you the long way around.”

Dakota took a deep breath and climbed into the air duct and grabbed onto the ladder that was attached to the wall.

She pulled her flashlight out of her pocket and started walking through the dusty, cobweb covered tunnel until she came to a place where to pipes blocked the path. Grumbling she tried to make herself same enough to fit through, then froze when she smelled something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

She looked at the wall in front of her and saw ectoplasm leaking through the cracks. 

“Shit!” She whispered harshly to herself, grabbing the walkie talkie and screaming Sam’s name into it as the world went black.

……….

Dakota woke up to the sound of water dripping and something creaking; she immediately sat up and smacked her head on something causing her to groan and lay back down. After rubbing the new forming bump on her forehead she careful felt out to the sides and realized she was in some kind of box or, God forbid, coffin. She wiggled her hand down with the limited room she had to the extra flashlight in her jean jacket pocket and turned it on.

She shined the light at the ceiling and saw that whatever she was in was made of metal and there were fingernail scratches everywhere causing her to shutter. She looked over to the side and saw some kind of door with two small slits in it that was unsurprisingly locked.

“If I look out this right now is something going to jump out at me?” Dakota asked herself quietly. She leaned toward the “window” as much as she could and saw that there was similar metal container across from her.

Suddenly a door opened and Dakota quickly laid back down.

“Hello?” A girl whispered softly.

“Is anybody there?” Another asked quietly.

“Are you Teresa?” The first voice asked.

“Yes.” Teresa answered.

“Wait? Jo?” Dakota whispered.

“Kota? Are you here, too?” The first voice, Jo’s voice asked.

“Yes. Teresa, this won’t make you feel better, but Jo and I are here to rescue you.” Dakota said.

“We’re normally better at our job than this.” Jo promised.

Teresa let out a quiet sob, “Oh God, he’s out there. He’s going to kill us!”  
“No he won’t! We’re getting out.” Jo said.

“My brothers are looking for us.” Dakota added.

“Quite!” Teresa commanded and Dakota shut her mouth in time to her footsteps coming towards them.

Dakota held completely still until a hand shot into her box and grabbed on to her hair causing her to scream and thrash until a chunk of her wavy blond hair came out in his hands. She bit her lip as she cradled the part of her head that was now bleeding, listening to Jo scream as her hair was ripped out too.

Soon H. H. Holmes showed back up infront of her box and started whispered, “You’re so pretty. So beautiful.”

“Go to Hell.” Dakota said as she slowly reached down to grab her iron knife she keep in her shoe. 

A hand slowly reached into the box and Dakota shoved herself as back as she could, but the arm still reached her and began to caress her arm and once it got down to her hand she pulled the knife and sliced the hand making it disappear.

“How do you like that! Lined with iron you creepy-ass son of a bitch!” Dakota yelled.

“Is he gone?” Teresa asked.

“I don’t know. Jo, if you can reach your knife keep it out and ready.” Dakota instructed.

Jo screamed and then it was suddenly muffled and Dakota realized Holmes must have her.

“Leave her alone you bastard!” Dakota yelled.

“Hey!” A voice Dakota instantly recognized as Dean called out and she breathed a sigh of relief as a gunshot fired.

“Guys! We’re in here! Me, Teresa, and Jo! We’re all here.” Dakota called out.

She heard two of the doors creak open before her door was opened and light shined in her face from Dean’s flashlight.

“You okay?” He asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She promised.

“Let’s get the Hell out of here before he comes back.” Jo said.

“Actually, I don’t think we’re leaving just yet.” Dean said.

“Please tell your not planning what I think you’re planning.” Dakota said looking at Sam who shrugged as he held up a weak looking Teresa.

“Remember when I said being bait was a bad plan?” Dean asked rhetorically, “Now it’s kind of the only one we got.”

“Why can’t Dakota do it!” Jo said.

“Hey!” Dakota cried out.

“If we just use one of you, he might come from the other and we can’t risk that.” Sam explained.

………..

Dakota and Jo sat back to back in the center of what Sam and Dean had explained was a sewer system.

“Kota.” Jo whispered and Dakota turned her head to see Holmes standing in the shadows.

“Down.” Dean yelled and Dakota and Jo ducked as the guys fired at the ceiling letting bags of salt fall in a perfect circle around them. Holmes started screaming and Dakota and Dean raced out the door slamming it behind them.

“Scream all you want, there’s no way you’re stepping over that salt!” Jo yelled as they turned to the tunnel that would lead them out of the sewers.

Once they were back on ground Dakota and Jo were sitting on the ground while Sam stood nearby; Dean had run off to grab something very secretly.

“So, is the job as glamorous as you thought it would be?” Sam asked.

“Well, except for all the pee-your-pants terror, yeah.” Jo answered, “But Teresa’s going to live a life ‘cause of us. It’s worth it, isn’t it.”

“Yeah. Sometimes it is.” Dakota nodded.

“Hey, what if someone finds that sewer down there, or a storm washes the salt away?” Jo asked.

“Both very fine points which is why we’re waiting here.” Sam answered.

“For what?” Dakota asked as a beeping noise started behind them. She turned around and saw a cement truck backing up towards them.

“How?” Dakota asked as Dean got out of the truck and Sam started lowering the spout into the entrance to the tunnel.

“I’ll give it back.” Dean promised.

“You ripped off a cement truck?” Jo asked and Dean shrugged.

……….

The car ride back to Nebraska was incredibly uncomfortable, both due to the fact Sam, Jo, and Dakota were all squished in the back seat and also because a very pissed off Ellen was sitting in the passenger’s seat. Sam and Dean had explained after returning the cement truck that Ash had flipped on them and that Ellen was flying out.

“Well, you-you really weren’t kidding about flying out, were you?” Dean tried to joke.

When he was met with silence Dakota saw him slowly lean over and try to turn on the radio, but Ellen smacked his hand away. Jo turned to Dakota and raised her eyebrows.

“This is going to be a long drive.” Dakota whispered.

When they got back to the Roadhouse the next morning Ellen physically grabbed Jo’s arm and dragged her in.

“Ellen, I’m sorry. It was my fault. I lied to you and I’m sorry. But Jo did amazing out there.” Dakota said.

“I think her dad would be proud of her.” Dean added and Dakota’s eyes widened.

“Don’t you dare say that! Not you!” Ellen snapped. “I need a moment with my daughter, alone.”

“Actually, I think it’s best if we head out now. Tell Ash ‘hi’ for us.” Dakota said before grabbing the boys by their arms and leading them out.

“What was that about?” Sam asked.

“Jo’s dad had a pretty strict policy about not working with other hunters, but one day this friend of his really needed his help, so Jo’s dad, Will, let this other hunter use him as bait in their trap and Will didn’t make it. The other person he teamed up with was Dad. Ellen barely spoke to me for a year after that and Dad wasn’t allowed back in the Roadhouse. I don’t think Ellen ever forgave him, and by association us.” Dakota explained.

“But you two seem fine now.” Dean pointed out.

Dakota sighed, “After y’all took off for Stanford and to hunt on your own I stuck around with Dad for maybe six months before...something happened and I took off. I had no idea where you was so I found myself at the Roadhouse and Ellen took me in. I stayed with them for six months before meeting back up with Dean and then it was only another six-seven months till we got Sam.” Dakota explained.


End file.
